What Comes Around Goes Around
by Roar-I'm-Ari
Summary: 17 year old Amber moves to Forks with her Aunt Tammy. What happens when Jacob and Edward recognize her? What will Edward do when Amber falls for Jacob's son? Amber only wants to make Edward's life hell, but what will the Volturi do when they learn of her?
1. Settling In And Meeting The Neighbors

_Disclaimer : Yeah, I know it's obvious, I don't own Twilight, but I was told I could possibly get sued for not adding this in here? So yeah, I don't own Twilight or the characters from Twilight. I only own my own characters. _

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"Amber, you want to help me carry in these boxes before it starts raining again?" Turning from the window with a frown upon my face, I walked from the empty house to the front porch. My aunt, Tammy, was trying to balance the two large boxes in her arms in an attempt to get as much inside before it started down pouring again. So far we had managed to get about 6 boxes inside before the rain cut us off. I hurried down the stairs, taking one of the boxes from my aunt with a small grin. "Oh, thanks. I wasn't sure if I'd make it with both," Tammy said, relieved. Instead she grabbed a smaller box and hurried to get them inside. I glanced inside to see if there was anything else I could grab and sighed at the amount of boxes still in the moving truck. I grabbed the two shoe boxes marked "Odds and Ends" and carried them inside. After carefully placing the boxes with the others I looked around. The house wasn't TOO bad, I had decided. The walls were an off white that I know Aunt Tammy would paint over and over different colors until she found one she liked. The floors were hardwood, but still in good shape. The rooms were pretty spacious, though they would soon be filled with everything we owned. "Dont just stand there, Amb, c'mon!" Tammy called from the door way.

"Yeah, yeah," I called back, following her out to the truck. We managed to get most of the boxes inside before it started down pouring again. Groaning, we ran inside with the boxes in our arms. We hadn't even started on the furniture yet. That out to be a fun adventure with how muddy the ground was getting.

"Well, maybe it'll stop soon," Tammy said, hopefully.

"Tammy, you DO know that Forks has a superbly high amount of rainfall each year, right?" I said, knowing that we'd have to wait another hour before it started to lighten up even a little bit. Aunt Tammy just threw me a dissapproving glare. She hated it when I was realistic and crashed her hopes. We equalled out though. She was always optimistic. I was waiting for the world to get sucked into a black hole like I knew it would. That or it would explode. I was a firm believer in Global warming and had several eccentric ideas as to WHY it was happening.

"Let's start organizing these boxes," Aunt Tammy said, changing the subject. I nodded and grabbed a box, setting it off to the side. Within the time it had taken us to seperate all the boxes into different piles for their respective rooms, the rain had lightened a little. "Yes! I told you it would stop soon, let's go." I shook my head with a laugh and went back out to the truck. Once we got the boxes inside and placed them in their right piles, we both sighed, looking at all the furniture piled into their moving truck. I had told Tammy to hire movers, but she had refused. She figured they could have more fun doing it themselves. "Besides," I remembered her saying, "it makes you feel more accomplished. Maybe some nice guys will come and help us." Well, I thought, we could certaintly use them now. We started with the easy stuff like the kitchen chairs and table. It had been the two of them for a while, so we didn't have anything elaborate. While Tammy moved the table around the kitchen, trying to find a place she liked it, I brought in the kitchen boxes and set them on the counter. Next, we worked on the living room stuff. After successfully getting the coffee table, empty entertainment center, and lay-z-boy into the living room, I groaned. Their couch, which Aunt Tammy loved dearly, was next. Granted, the couch was really comfortable, but it weighed a ton. I was used to doing heavy lifting, after all, this wasn't the first time Aunt Tammy decided to move, but the couch just seemed to get heavier and heavier every time. Personally, I think she hides stuff in it, though I've never been able to gather proof. I grabbed the end and lifted, already feeling the strain on my arms.

"You really need to get a lighter couch, Aunt Tammy," I said, straining to carry and talk at the same time.

"But I love this couch!" she exclaimed, horrified that I would think such a thing about her precious couch. We went through the same discussion everytime.

"Here, let us help," came an unfamiliar voice from behind me. I jumped and probably would have dropped it if the man hadn't of grabbed onto the end of it. There was a group of 6 men who were obviously from the Quileute tribe nearby. That was part of the reason Tammy moved here and chose the house she did. I couldn't help but gawk momentarily. Even with the rain and cold, they were in just jeans and sneakers. Not that I was complaining, since every one of them had bodies to drive any girl crazy. I didn't get to see people like this often, or even up close. Well, I guess the day won't turn out too bad, I thought with a mental grin.

"Oh, thank god. By all means, have at it," I said rubbing at my arms. The man chuckled and another on went to take my Aunt's side. Tammy flashed me one of those "I-told-you-so" grins and added a wink before giving directions to the men in the truck.

"You men came just in time," I heard my Aunt say. I just laughed and went inside, deciding to start unpacking. After making sure the piles of boxes wouldn't get in their way, I walked into the kitchen. It was the same off white as the living room and had plenty of cupboard space. There was even a decent refrigerator still here. I attempted to set up the kitchen as much as I could so that it was like the last one we had. It was always a pain trying to remember where you put silverware and dishes after you had just moved.

"Do you want us to carry these upstairs for you, too?" came a deep voice from behind her. I turned to see a few of the men with the dressers and a matress. I glanced past them to see the other one was on its way.

"Uh, if it wouldn't be too much trouble?" I asked, smiling nervously. The man only smiled at her and nodded with a laugh. I took them upstairs and showed them which rooms to put the furniture in. After convincing them to just set everything in the rooms and that we would organize it all later, we all headed downstairs.

"You know," Tammy started, "you've been so helpful, but we haven't even gotten your names yet." Smooth, I thought.

"Oh, yes, where are our manners," said the man who just oozed authority. Not like a domineering authority, but more like he was in charge. Not a bad thing, but slightly intimidating. "My name is Sam Uley," he said, extending a hand.

"Tammy Sanders," she stated, shaking the mans hand.

"Amber," I said, shaking the man's hand afterwards. It was oddly warm, yet comforting.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," he said with a warm smile. That's when I noticed the man behind him. He looked like he had just been punched in the face. He stared at me in what I thought was disbelief and there was pain buried deep in his brown eyes. I frowned, trying not to be rude by staring, but noticed some of his friends were glancing at him questioningly. The others introduced themselves as Quil Altera, Embry Call, Jared, and Paul. However, when it got to the last man, he was gone. That was okay, I know the name anyways. Jacob Black. The man who had been desperately and hopelessly in love with my mother. Yes, that's right. I let people believe my last name was Sanders, but my true last name was Swan. Amber Lynn Swan, 17 year old daughter of the deceased Bella Swan. I knew all the stories, all the pain my mother went through, and was going get vengeance with the man who broke her heart. The man who was, unfortunately, my father. That was the main reason I didn't complain when my aunt decided to move us here. Of course, my mother had no siblings, but the woman who had become my mother's best friend during the hard times after my.. father left had soon become like family. A couple of the men kept glancing at me, and I knew why. They recognized me, just like Jacob had. After all, I looked exactly like my mother, but with extraordinary green eyes. I loved my eyes, even if I knew that was one trait I got from my father.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too," we said in synch. We smiled at each other, before chuckling. Tammy talked with Sam while I started unpacking the living room boxes. I was happy Aunt Tammy had them set up the furniture in the livingroom so I didn't have to move the TV into the entertainment center. That was another thing that weighed a lot, but I loved it. Tammy joined in after the visitors had left, and we finished the downstairs fairly quick.

"Those men were pretty nice looking, don't you think?" Tammy said with a grin.

"They're probably all taken, too, Aunt Tammy," I said, grinning back. She only made a funny face at me.

"So, are you excited for your first day tomorrow?"

"I guess," I said.

"Oh, c'mon. It'll be fun."

"Oh, yes. Woo! School," I said as sarcasticly as possible. Tammy only hit me on the arm with a scoff. I laughed and stood up, stretching. "Mmm, it's pretty late. I'm gonna head to bed."

"Don't you want something to eat first?" Tammy said with a frown, standing too.

"Nah, that's okay. I'm not entirely hungry."

"Hmm, okay, if you say so. Sweet dreams, kiddo."

"Will do," I said. I trudged my way upstairs, kind of wishing I had told Quil and Embry where to put everything, but that was okay. Entering my cluttered room, I sighed. They'd be there tomorrow, I just knew it. But did I have the guts to face them? Granted, I was going to make them pay somehow, but they ARE vampires after all. Well, there's no going back now, I thought and moved my room around. Not bothering with making the bed, I threw one of my pillows on the bed and layed down. Oh, tomorrow was going to be great. I grinned and closed my eyes, imagining the looks on their faces when they saw me. Sweet victory would be mine. Edward Cullen and his family would pay for what they did to my mother. I would make sure of it.

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**Okay, so this is my first fanfic. I hope you enjoy it. I had originally wrote this in third person but my friend thought it would be better in first person, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm not the greatest with writing stories in first person, but oh well. Just let me know if you see spots where it's still in third or if you have a question. This is my third revision on this one so far, but nothing has changed. Just fixed some errors and added this lovely note. :D Let me know what you think of it! I'd love to know your opinions, even if you're just going to tell me you hate it. Just let me know why you do or don't like it. **


	2. First Day

"Rise and shine, beautiful!" I groaned loudly, turning away from the loud voice invading my peaceful sleep. "C'mon, Amber! It's your first day of school. I even made breakfast," Tammy said. I sniffed slightly, and indeed, she had made breakfast. Smelled like pancakes.

"Mmm," I groaned, turning my head in her direction. "What kind?"

"Chocolate chip, your favorite," Tammy said, knowing she had succeeded. Damn her and her cleverness, I thought. She might have won this one, but there were many more days to come!

"Alright, alright. I'll get up," I muttered, sitting up and yawned. I threw off the blanket that Aunt Tammy must have put over me last night and swung out of bed. After rummaging through some boxes, I had found an acceptable first day outfit. Jeans and a plain t-shirt. Nothing to attention grabbing. I knew I was going to get plenty attention today so might as well not make it any worse with some crazy outfit. I slipped on my favorite, comfortable yet slightly soggy sneakers and let the smell of the pancakes drive my still half asleep body downstairs. Already I noticed that the furniture didn't look like it did last night. I must have been really tired not to hear her move that couch around. I peered into the kitchen and smiled. Tammy had already set the plates down filled with pancakes and two glasses of orange juice. I sat down, buttered my pancakes, and then lathered them with syrup. With a content sigh, I dug in. This was the best way to start the first day of my new life. After finishing up and cleaning off my plate in the sink, I grabbed my car keys, book bag, and headed for the door.

"Have a good first day!" Tammy called to me.

"I'll try," I called back, and opened the door. "Ugh." I grabbed my jacket quickly and threw it on, jogging to my car through the down pouring rain. My car wasn't anything special. Just a four door something or other that was black and worked. That was all that mattered. Oh, that and it had a working radio. I started it up and drove the small distance to Forks High School. Thankfully, I was one of the first people there so I didn't have to deal with the awkward stares just yet. I turned off my car, pocketed my keys, and hopped out of my car, carrying my book bag. I jogged into the main office, glad my jacket wasn't completely soaked yet. Yet being the keyword. I walked up to the front desk with a nervous smile. The lady at the desk smiled back sweetly. Going by the name plate, her name was Ms. Hope. She wasn't a very big woman and had her gray hair pulled up in a tight bun to her head.

"You must be Amber," she said, looking me over. I nodded and she started to dig into some papers on her desk. "Welcome to Forks High School, Ms. Sanders. I hope you enjoy your first day," she said, handing me my schedual and a small map of the school.

"Thank you," I said back politely. I made my way back to the parking lot, noticing more cars had appeared. I glanced down at my schedule and then at my map. "English.. English," I moved my finger over the map, until I found it. "Aha! English," I cheered quietly and quickly walked the way there, trying not to make eye contact with the strange stares. I stepped into the classroom to see I was the first one there.

"You must be our newest student, Amber," said the man walking towards me. He reminded me of my 9th grade teacher. He was tall with greyish white hair, but didn't look a day over 30.

"That would be me," I said, smiling to the man.

"We're supposed to have a test today on Macbeth, but if you'd like you could either just sit there and be bored, or you could give it a shot?" he asked, a brow rising slightly. I had a feeling I was going to get along with this man.

"Sure, I'll give it a try. Got nothing better to do."

"Alright, well, here you go, and you can sit wherever you like," he stated, handing me a piece of paper with a grin. I thanked him and quickly claimed the seat in the back of the classroom on the door's side. After rummaging through my book bag, I found one of my mechanical pencils and started on the test. I had already read Macbeth before I switched schools so I figured it shouldn't be too difficult. As more and more people entered the room, I could feel some of the stares of my new classmates. I ignored them and kept on working. I heard some groan as they were handed the test and grinned. That class went by pretty smoothly, and it seemed no Cullens were there. I hope they're here, I thought. I sighed and looked down at my schedule. History. After finding the room on the map I started through the halls to the next class.

"Hey!" I heard someone call. I didn't know if it was for me, but it's just one of those things you have to stop and look. A girl slightly shorter than me, with short, edgey blonde hair was walking straight towards me with a wide smile. I stopped and frowned a little before she halted in front of me. "You're that new girl, Amber, right?" I nodded, starting to get sick of that question. "Well, what class do you have?"

"History," I stated.

"Sweet! Me too. I'll show you the way," she said and started off again. I followed after her, slightly cocking a brow. "Have you enjoyed your day so far? Did anyone give you a hard time?"

"No. No one besides you and my teachers have talked to me."

"Oh, good. If they do, just let me know. I'll take care of them," she said, entering the room I assumed to be the History room. "My name's Becky, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you, Becky," I said with a grin. She seemed pretty cool so far and I definitely wanted to get to know her more. She only smiled back and plopped down in a seat in the middle of the class. I crinkled my nose a little at her choice of seating, but sat down next to her anyways. The teacher came up and handed me a book and welcomed me to Forks. I glanced around as the class got started, trying to spot one of the Cullens. I frowned when my search had come up unsuccessful. Maybe they weren't here. History had always been a simple enough class for me, but I always found it so boring. The teacher wasn't helping any either. After the bell rang, Becky and I departed as I made my way Math. I was disappointed again to see none of them were in that class either. I was ready to give up, but there was one place left. The lunch room. If they were here then they'd be there. Cramming my new math book into my book bag, I raced to the Lunch room, hoping they'd be there. I jumped in line, frowning slightly at the food. Sloppy joes and french fries. The fries didn't look too bad. The sloppy joes on the other hand looked disgusting. I waited in line behind a guy with short black hair, who looked like he wanted to talk to me, but something stopped him from it. Suddenly feeling very anxious, I fidgeted around, impatient to get through the line. Once through, I saw Becky waving me over to where she sat. I smiled and sat down at her table, glancing at the people sitting with her.

"Hey, Amber! This is Derek," she said, indicating to the black haired boy who was in front of me before. "Alleysia." She indicated to a girl with long, brownish blonde hair and glasses. "Troy." He was short, with curly blackish brown hair and glasses. "Staci." She was short too, with black and red hair that was obviously dyed by her brown roots coming in. "And, Brandon." The last boy was taller, with a lip piercing and had blue hair. He had to be my personal favorite so far.

"Hey, I'm Amber," I said, smiling nicely to them, even though I know everyone knows that. They all rambled out some sort of greeting and went on eating their food.

"Have you been enjoying your day so far?" Derek asked, munching on a fry.

"Yeah, I have. Everyone has been pretty nice so far. Classes have been kind of dull, but then that's school." They all laughed and nodded in agreeance. I picked at my fries, eating them slowly. I guess they weren't as good as they looked.

"Man, what's up with Cullen?" Brandon asked, looking over across the room. My heart skipped a beat as my head snapped up and immediately followed his gaze. I had forgotten to look, but there they were. All five of them, with their milky white skin that rivaled my own pale skin. I looked over them, there names ringing in my head with my mother's voice, until I found him. His onyx black eyes pierced through me with confusion and anger that seemed almost borderline murderous intent. Well, this is going better than I thought. I didn't know if he would recognize me or even if I would make it through my first day. Then again, I remembered, the day isn't over yet. I grinned to myself, praying I had a class with him. Of course, the others were staring at me too, but their emotions weren't half as strong as Edward's. With all the emotions running through the room, I felt no shame in letting the feeling of satisfaction come over me. Step one of my plan was already successful. He was thinking about my mother, and obviously he wasn't happy.

"Do you know them or something, Amber?" Alleysia asked, noticing how quick I reacted. I made sure to keep my facial expressions well guarded so the Cullens wouldn't know what I was up to.

"Oh, no, I had just heard someone mention them earlier," I explained. She seemed to understand, and it wasn't hard to tell why.

"Well, they seem to know you," Staci said, frowning. I glanced over at them again, seeing that some of them were looking away now, but Edward's gaze remained fixed on me. I shrugged and looked away.

"No idea. I don't know any of them," I said, going back to my fries. Good, let him stare. I hoped he remembered all he put my mother through.

"Hmm, well if they give you any trouble, just let me know," Becky said, glaring over at them. After I had finished my fries and chocolate milk off, I took my tray up. I turned around only to be greeted by two, curious topaz eyes. Alice was smaller than me, and just as pixie like as Mom described her as. I clenched my jaw and couldn't help but let a small bubble of anger form in my chest. I hated being this close to her, but I was going to have to get used to it. Quickly, the curiosity in her eyes turned to confusion. I just stepped around her, mentally shaking myself to get back in order. I grabbed my books just as the bell rang.

"What class do you have?" Becky asked, coming up next to me. I glanced at my schedule.

"Uh, Biology," I said.

"Urg, thwarted again!" she said, shaking her fist. I giggled and shook my head.

"I have that. If you want, I could show you the way?" Brandon said.

"Sure," I said, smiling. He nodded and grinned, leading the way. He was fairly quiet, but that was okay. It was a comfortable silence.

"We kind of have lab partners already assigned.. so.. well," he said, awkwardly. I looked around as we entered the room and knew exactly what he meant. How fitting, I thought, chuckling to myself. The only seat free was right next to Edward.

"Oh, that's alright," I said, biting my bottom lip a little to stop the evil grin from forming on my face.

"Are you sure? I could talk to the teacher if you want."

"Nah, that's okay. I'm sure whatever he has against me is all a big misunderstanding," I said, smiling up at him. It was cute to know he was genuinely concerned about me already. I sat down, acting oblivious to the death stare I was getting. I glanced over to see he was clenching his fists tightly. It was just like Mom's first meeting with him, except the look in his eyes was for a different reason. As the teacher walked around, handing out sheets of paper, I realized that we'd have to work together. I groaned inwardly. I didn't even have a game plan yet, and I had to deal with the pissed off vampire who probably would rather erase me from existence than be my partner. The teacher handed me a book and two sheets of paper, one of which I handed to Edward. He took it stiffly, keeping as much space in between us as possible. I laughed to myself. And I was the one afraid to deal with him first. Looks like he's the bigger scaredy cat. I turned to him and offered the friendliest smile I could manage. Being this close to him made it so hard not to give him a piece of my mind right then, but I made sure to refrain. I was going to make this revenge sweet. I could easily see why my mother fell so deep in love with him like she did, but I wasn't here to admire.

"Hi, my name's Amber," I said, nervously. If I was going to get him to trust me, then I would have to act nice and like I knew nothing. I was pretty good at things like that. When all he did was clench his jaw more, I let my smile falter a little. "What's your name?"

"Edward Cullen," he said, quickly.

"Oh, I like that name," I said. Actually, I hated that name with such a deep passion that I refused to date the boy who liked me a few years ago named Edward. He didn't say anything but looked down at the paper that I was sure he probably already knew the words to. I glanced down and read the paper. I remembered doing this lab before, where they cut out an e from a newspaper and redrew it on the piece of paper. I always hated this lab. It took up so much time and was pointless, in my opinion. But, whatever. What the state says goes.

"Do you want to get the microscope and stuff while I get the slides?" He didn't answer me but only got up stiffly and went to the cupboards with the microscopes. I sighed. If it was this easy so far, then I'll have no problem. I walked to where everyone was gathered around a container of glass slides. I reached in and grabbed one, trying not to drop it with everyone pushing each other. By the time I had gotten back to my seat, Edward had the microscope all set up. I smiled to him, but he refused to look at me now. I slid the slide under the microscope and tinkered with the magnification until I was able to see the 'e' clearly. I stared at it, memorizing what it looked like so I didn't have to look at it again. When I pulled away, I started to scribble in the little circle on the page. Edward didn't even bother and just put everything back. It was then that I noticed he had already drew it without looking. Well, someones being a baby, I thought. If I guessed right, I'd have the rest of the week without him. After all, that's what he did before, and by the look in his eyes he needed to hunt.

The rest of the class went by quietly. I could tell a couple of times he wanted to say something to me by the way he turned to me angrily, staring intently, but he never did. I was mentally trying to make a list of ways to annoy him. I could tell by now he couldn't read my mind or he would have acted a long time ago. All the better for me. The only two that could ruin my plans now were Jasper and Alice. Alice was guaranteed to be on the lookout for anything suspicious, and Jasper.. Well, I was good at masking my emotions, but I wasn't sure I could fool Jasper. That was okay. I'd take care of that issue when I got to it. When the bell rang, he was the first one gone. I guess my life had been spared for now.

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**So, I personally think this chapter sucked. It was going to be a lot longer, but I didn't want to put too much in, but that's okay! Just means I have a head start on Chapter 3. : o **

**Don't be afraid to drop me a line, let me know what you think. What should I add? What should I get rid of? Let me know what you think would make it better. **

**Updates might be slow this week, but that's because I have all my finals. I have to write 6 essays in 3 days. Isn't that crazy?! So if there isn't a daily update, or one at least in the next couple days, you'll know it's because my poor brain needs a break. **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :D  
**

**Oh, and like I said before. I'm used to writing in third person, so just let me know if I slip up anywhere. It'd be much appreciated. **


	3. Gym Collisions And More Family

"Hey, what class do you have now?" Brandon asked, coming up next to me.

"Mmm, Gym," I said after glancing over my schedule.

"Oh, awesome. We'll all be together then. The juniors and seniors share a Gym class," he said with a smile. Oh no, I thought. Biology was one thing.. Gym with ALL of them was a total different situation.

"That sounds fun," I told him, adding a fake smile. Sports mean physical contact. It was bad enough I was going to attempt to befriend them in the first place.

"So, did you found out what Cullen has against you?" he asked as they started off towards the Gym.

"No, we didn't really talk."

"Oh, well. His loss," he said, shrugging. I giggled softly and he looked down at me, raising a brow questioningly. I only shook my head as we entered the gymnasium.

"Amber! Brandon!" Becky called, waving us over. Next to her stood an even more pissed off, exasperated Edward. I only laughed at him, mentally doing a victory dance. "We're playing floor hockey!" Becky said, excitedly. Alleysia and Derek groaned but Becky only shushed them.

"I hate floor hockey," Alleysia complained.

"The Cullen's always win," Derek said, frowning.

"They have their own team," Troy explained. When I only looked more confused, Becky cut in.

"No one picks them because they're afraid of them, and one of them is usually a captian," she said.

"That's rubbish. Why would they be afraid of them? If they're such good players that shouldn't matter," I said, frowning.

"Coach usually picks favorites to be captains, so it's usually the same people," Staci said.

"Let's see if we can change that," I said with a devilish grin, turning to go talk to the coach.

"Ms. Sanders!" a loud, booming voice said. I jumped, looking to see it had been the teacher. He was tall with greying hair and looked like he had once been in the army. He would be a perfect person to have on your side in a fight, I thought. "Since you're the new student today, how about choosing a team?" he asked, crossing his arms. He had a whistle around his neck and all he seemed to be missing was a clipboard.

"Uh, sure," I said, a little shocked. That had gone easier than I thought it would. I walked forward, in front of the large crowd of people. I had never been a shy person, but I wasn't used to this amount of people.

"Edward, you're a captain," he said, not asking. Edward walked a fair distance away from me, glaring slightly at the back of the teacher's head. "New girl, you get first pick."

"Emmett," I said immediately, without thinking. Oh shit.. I really hadn't meant to do that. I knew their names better than my own from all my mother's stories. None of them seemed to notice though. I guess it made sense, since everyone knows who they are. The only one who reacted was Rosalie. She shot me an evil glare, clenching her jaw a bit. Emmett only smiled widely and shot Edward a competitive smirk, standing behind me. I glanced around at all the shocked looks on my classmates faces. A slow whisper spread through them as they looked at me like I was crazy. Only my new group seemed happy that someone had finally split up the winning Cullen Army. Now it might be more fair.

"Alice," Edward said automatically. Alice skipped her way up to Edward happily.

"Jasper," I said, grinning. I was confident that we would win now, despite the fact that Edward could read minds.. and.. Alice could see the future.. Damnit. Oh well! We would be victorious! The whisper only increased as they all seemed even more shocked. Honestly, change isn't a bad thing. Stupid small town people.

"Rosalie," Edward called. Rosalie glared at me the whole time, but I didn't care. She'd be able to deal with being separated from her precious Emmett for a period. After everyone had been picked I had about 5 people on my team that I knew. Emmett, Jasper, Brandon, Becky, and Troy. They seemed the most athletic anyways. I was picking to win. Edward and his failure of a team was going down. Rosalie was on goalie, Alice was on defense, and Edward was a forward player. Staci, Alleysia, and Derek were all mixed together with the other people I didn't know. For my team Becky was goalie, Emmet, Jasper, and I were forward players, and Brandon was on defense. I went to the middle of the court, where Edward was already waiting.

"Now, I want a fair game. No cheating and no hurting the other players, Emmett," he said, looking pointedly at him.

"Aww, c'mon, Coach," Emmett said with a grin. He only shook his head and looked back to Edward and me.

"Ready?" he asked. We nodded and he dropped the ball. I watched as the ball's sudden motion slowed, like someone pressed a slow-motion button. Of course, with Edward being my father, that made me half vampire. It had it's downsides and it's perks. They weren't always a constant. Some I could control and others I couldn't. When the ball got low enough, I started to swing. Edward moved at almost the same time, but I was quicker. The hockey stick collided hard with the puck, sending it flying to Emmett. Everything sped up after that. Edward stared at me, not believing what he just witnessed. I didn't look to see if any of the other Cullen's were as shocked as him and sent him an triumphant smirk before starting to move around him after the speeding puck. However, Edward moved directly into my way, causing me to knock into his cold, marble like shoulder and trip over his hockey stick at the same time. Instead of falling flat on my face like I should have, instincts kicked in and I did a front handspring. That wasn't just vampire skills, that was 3 years of martial arts mixed in. I couldn't believe he did that! Inside I was fuming. I had hoped that there wouldn't have been any physical contact with any of them this early, but it seemed he was making his own plans.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" I heard him ask. I knew he wasn't truly concerned. I could tell from his tone and actions. I only shot him a dirty glare and went off after the puck, even though most of the people had stopped after watching what had happened.

"Cullen, no more funny business out of you or you'll be in time out," yelled the Coach. I grinned to myself. Haha, stupid jerk. Emmett passed the puck to Jasper, and just as he went to shoot to score, Alice intercepted him. Alice shot the puck to Edward, but I quickly hit it from in front of his stick. He glared at me, obviously getting angrier that I had taken it from him twice. I passed it to one of my other classmates and the game went on. The score came down to 2-1 and of course, we were in the lead. Emmett and Edward were facing off against each other, and I was already over come with the feeling of success. Today was going better than I thought it would. The puck dropped and Emmett passed it to me. I rushed forward to the puck and then with a loud thud, I knocked right smack into that marble chest, again. I felt the wind get knocked from my chest as immediately my body fell backwards. I crashed into the floor so hard that my vision went blurry. Nooo, I thought. This can't happen my first day! I could see figures crowd around me, along with several topaz eyes.

"Bastards," I said, faintly, before the darkness consumed me.

--Nurse's Office--

"Is she going to be okay?" I head a musical voice ask somewhere near me. No, I wouldn't be, I thought. Especially if that voice belongs to who I think it does.

"She'll be fine, Alice. No need to worry," came a soft voice from next to me. I didn't want to open my eyes. I wanted _her_ to leave first. "I think she's coming around." Stupid, evil nurse. She couldn't just be quiet and let me pretend like I was sleeping.

"Really? How can you tell?" What a stupid question. I knew she knew, but of course the nurse wouldn't know that.

"Her breathing isn't as deep," she said. Shit.. I forgot about that. "Amber? Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?"

"Yeah," I said with a groan. I opened my eyes slowly, still playing along slightly. The sudden light did hurt my eyes, though.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, starting to sit up. I winced slightly at the pain in my chest. That was going to be a lovely bruise by morning.

"You shouldn't move around too much. You got hit pretty hard," the nurse said, placing a hand on her shoulder cautiously.

"Tell me about it," I mumbled. He would pay for that, I thought angrily. I looked over to see Alice staring at me thoughtfully. I seriously wished she would just go away. Right now.

"Alice, I think you should take her to see Carlisle in case of a concussion," the nurse said. I wanted to glare at her, but I stopped myself. Instead I decided to play along.

"Carlisle?" I said, frowning a little in fake confusion.

"Carlisle is my father. He's a doctor over at the hospital," Alice said with a happy smile. Someone shoot me now. Well, I guess I was getting what I wanted though. I found them, but I didn't think I'd be seeing them all this quick. "That sounds like a good idea, Mrs. Rose. Should I take her over now?"

"You probably should. The sooner the better," she said.

"Alright. How about we go in my car?"

"I have a car. You don't need to go out of your way," I said, quickly. "I could drive myself."

"Oh, It's no problem at all! Let me take you. It's least I can do since Edward was the one who put you in this situation," she said. Damn, she was good.

"Exactly. Besides, you really shouldn't drive alone after a fall like that," the nurse said. I sighed, trying not to make it sound as angry as I felt.

"Alright, I guess," I said.

"Good, let's go," Alice said, hopping off the counter and walked towards the door. I stood up, masking the pain I felt when I moved. I was lucky not to have broken anything. I followed her out, glad there was no rain for now. Then I noticed what car she was getting into. A shiny, silver Volvo. They still had this car? I groaned and got in, clenching my fists at my sides after buckling up. Safety first. I was hoping for a nice, quiet car ride, but that dream was quickly shattered. "So, what brings you to Forks?"

"My Aunt wanted a change of scenery and heard about the Quilete tribe nearby. She's always had a thing for Native American culture," I told her. Alice scrunched up her nose briefly and I couldn't help but grin. She could probably remember the smell of the werewolves quite distinctly.

"Where are you moving from?"

"Los Angeles."

"Oh, I heard it's nice there. What's it like in the city?"

"Loud and annoying," I said. I didn't want to go into details. I loved the city at night though. It was the lights that made the night beautiful there. There was a slight silence and I could tell she was getting frustrated with my short responses. The silence didn't last long though.

"So you're living here with just your Aunt?"

"Mhm," I said before realizing where she was going with this.

"What happened to your parents?" I paused for a moment, anger and grief spreading through me.

"I never knew my father. He abandoned my mother before I was born. As for my Mom.. well.. she died," I said softly, turning to look out the window. I didn't want to face Alice. I didn't want her to see my face. I didn't want her sympathy or her comfort, so the less she saw the better. I had a feeling she knew anyways though.

"I'm sorry," she said, softly. "What happened?" I closed my eyes tightly, blocking the images from my mind.

"I don't like to talk about it," I said firmly. She got the hint and the rest of the ride was in silence. It wasn't too long though before we pulled into the parking lot. We got out and she skipped inside the building. Surprisingly, the walls weren't the sterile white of every other hospital. They were more of a sea foam green. I wasn't sure if I liked it, but I didn't plan on staying here long anyways.

"Oh, hello Alice," said a smiling lady at the front desk.

"Hello, Margret. Is my father available?" Alice asked sweetly. I hated how she was so friendly.

"I'm not sure. You can check his office if you'd like," she said, not noticing me yet.

"Thanks! I just need him to check my friend here. She fell pretty hard in Gym class and Mrs. Rose wanted me to bring her here so Carlisle could check for a concussion," Alice said, indicating to me. Friend?! I had to stop the look of disgust from coming over my face. She was anything BUT my friend.

"Oh, alright. Well, just go on back. I hope you feel better," she said to me, smiling. I smiled back slightly and followed Alice. We didn't have to walk too far.

"Alice, what brings you here?" I heard a man's voice say from the room she just entered. I walked in and looked around. His office wasn't anything too special. Just had some chairs, a desk with a lamp, lots of organized papers, and a large filing cabinet.

"Amber here banged her head pretty hard off the Gym floor. Mrs. Rose wanted me to have you check her for a concussion." I looked over to Carlisle to see him staring at me, slightly wide eyed. He looked me over, stopping at my eyes then smiled slowly. I frowned a little, staring at him questioningly.

"Alright, thank you Alice. You can go out and wait for Amber in the waiting room. She'll be out soon," he said, smiling to her. I could tell she didn't want to, but she did anyways with a pout. "You can sit down if you'd like," he said, indicating to one of the brown chairs. I sat down, slightly uncomfortable being alone with him. Not because he was a guy, but because he was a vampire and my grandfather. "So, what happened?"

"This jackass ran into me and knocked me down while we were playing hockey," I muttered out. He looked amused at my story and opened a drawer in his desk. He grabbed a flashlight and walked over to me.

"And does this jackass have a name?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Edward," I said, glaring up towards him. He chuckled and shook his head.

"I'll make sure to tell him to watch where he's going next time."

"Oh, I think he knew exactly where he was going," I muttered. He crouched down in front of me, turning on the flashlight and shined it in my eyes. I flinched a little from the brightness of it, but tried not to let it get to me. He moved it between my eyes and I made sure to follow it so the chance of him believing I had a concussion weren't as high.

"Well, it seems you're going to be fine," he said, standing back up, and pat her on the shoulder. I flinched, not only from his icy touch, but also because the slight pressure sent pain throughout my chest. He frowned and pulled his hand away. "Maybe. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just.. ran into him a little harder than I thought," I said, starting to stand up.

"Let me take a look," he said, reaching forward again. If he wasn't a doctor I would have just told him no and left. Damn medical degrees. I crinkled my nose as he pulled the collar of my shirt down slightly, revealing my shoulder and chest. I looked down and frowned. I could see the bruises already forming on my pale white skin. He was lucky he was going to be gone for a week like the little baby he was. He was in for it when he got back. "Oh wow, I'm surprised you're moving this easily. I'm going to have to have you come back. We should run some x-rays on that and make sure nothing is broken." I groaned.

'_She definitely shouldn't be moving right now. I wonder how she managed to only get bruised. Exactly how hard did he hit her? I'm going to have to have a talk with Edward when I get home._'

I blinked slowly, staring at Carlisle. I had just had one of my random mind reading moments. I still wasn't used to them, so they still creeped me out when they happened. It was funny to see some people's reactions when I accidently replied to them.

"When do you want me to come back?" I asked him. He walked over to his desk and opened a notebook. He flipped between some pages. "Actually," he started, concentrating on the page he was on, "I'm free right now. We need to make sure there's no internal bleeding as well."

"Doctor, with all due respect, I don't think I was hit THAT hard."

"Still, just to make sure. Better safe than sorry," he said, closing his notebook. Why me? I followed him out the door. He stopped to talk with a nurse, explaining the situation, and she hurried off. After entering a room labeled "X-Ray" he had me sit down on a long, metal table. He put the stethoscope in his ear and held the other end up to my chest. "Now, just breathe normally through your mouth." I complied and he frowned. Now what? He just moved the end of it to different spots, listening intently. He didn't really need the stethoscope and I knew it, but he had to keep with the image.

"Well, there doesn't appear to be any internal bleeding, so that's good. Just lay back on the table while I go get the lap," he said. I had no idea what he was talking about until he came back and laid a large, heavy, tan colored object over most of my stomach. He moved to the side of the machine pressing some buttons. "Now, close your eyes and hold your breath as long as you can until I say stop, okay?" I nodded, frowning slightly. I took a breath and held it, closing my eyes. I saw a brief flash. "Okay, now just one more," he said. I took another breath, waiting patiently. There was another flash.

"Alright, we're all done." I opened my eyes and took a deep breath, starting to sit up. He took the 'lap' thing off my stomach. "Just wait here while I go get them developed." He reached down and grabbed two white plate looking things and walked over to what looked like a scanner. He placed them in the scanner, closing the lid and pressed a button. Two black sheets came out of the machine before he removed the plates and put them in a separate bin. After grabbing the two sheets he walked over to a long, white light board and clipped them to it. He turned on the light and the images glowed. I had no idea what I was supposed to look for, but everything looked okay to me.

"So, what's the verdict?" I asked, getting up. He stared intently at the pictures and I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Everything seems to be okay," he said slowly. Thank god, no more doctor visits. He turned around and smiled to me. "You're free to go, Amber." I smiled back and left the room. I was glad to be out of there, but I was not looking forward to the car ride back. Alice was waiting for me impatiently when I returned to the waiting room.

"So?" she asked.

"He said I was fine," I said, heading for the door.

"Good," she said, following me.

"Have a good day girls!" the receptionist called. I was already halfway to the car though. I got in and sighed, impatient to get back home.

Carlisle P.O.V

He continued to stare dumbfounded at the x-rays before him. How was this possible? You could see where there had been cracks and then they were already healed in the next one. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There was something truly odd about that girl. First, she looks just like Bella, and then those eyes. They looked just like Edward's before he changed him. Then a few minutes ago.. her heartbeat had been too slow for any normal humans. He frowned, tearing the pictures down and ripping them in half. That girl wasn't entirely human and he was going to find out what she was. He pocketed the remains of the x-rays and walked back to his office. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was part vampire, but that was impossible, right?

--

**Sweet, two in one day. : D I hope you liked it. My cousin helped me with some parts. She's the main reason this is up right now. She wouldn't let me stop writing.**

**So, let me know what you thought. I'd appreciate it. **

**My cousin wants me to add that Chapter 4 will be up soon. She's kind of glaring at me. Lol. It'll be up.. eventually. **


	4. Dreams And Hopes

The ride back to the school had been just as uncomfortable as the ride to the hospital. All I wanted to do was sleep, but Alice decided to pick up on her questions again.

"Did your mother ever tell you your father's name? I imagine you'd want to find him one day," Alice inquired, glancing between me and the road.

"She told me once when I was little, but I forgot it. I never bothered to ask again. I figured any man that would leave his pregnant girlfriend wasn't worth the time," I said coldly. I saw her flinch out of the corner of my eye. It wasn't her that needed to hear this, it was Edward, though he had no idea at the time that my mother had been pregnant. Oh well, he'd hear it all later. I only wished I could be there to see his reaction.

"What about your grandparents? Why aren't you with them?"

"I never knew my grandparents on my father's side," I said. Until now, I added mentally. "My other grandparents died in a car crash." I didn't know why I was telling her all of this. I didn't want her to know MY pain. They weren't close enough to me for that to bother them.

"I'm sorry," she said with a sympathetic frown. I only shrugged slightly.

"I've come to terms with it," I said. She nodded absentmindedly. We were almost back to the school.

"So, this has been some first day of school for you, huh?"

"Yeah, I'll say," I muttered.

"I hope Edward won't be too mad at me," she said, trailing off. I frowned with confusion as she pulled into the parking lot.

"Why would he be..." I started, but let it trail off when I saw what she meant. Edward was standing next to his empty parking space, glaring furiously at Alice as she got closer. "Oh."

"He'll get over it," she said, stopping the car. I hadn't realized that we had been gone for that long. School was already over.

"I told you we could have taken my car," I said, reaching for the door handle.

"That's okay. It's his fault we had to use it. Might as well waste his gas, not yours," she said with a friendly smile. I forced a chuckle and quickly got out of the year. I winced, momentarily forgetting about my bruises. I hadn't planned on letting him see that, but oh well. Asshole deserves to know he hurt me. He was back to keeping as much space as he could between us again. God, he was confusing. I just walked off back to the direction of my car.

"Aren't you going to apologize?" I heard Alice ask. The only response I heard was the slamming of a car door. My books..

"Shit," I muttered. I turned around and almost ran right into Alice. I jumped a little, taking a step back.

"Sorry," she said with a small smile. "I figured you'd want this," she said, holding my book bag out to me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, taking it from her and turned back to my car. I opened the door and threw my book bag in just as the Volvo sped off. "Asshole," I muttered under my breath. I got in the car and started it. After pulling out of the parking lot, I drove home as fast as I could. I missed the comforts of my old room and I planned on trying to convert my new one as quickly as possible. My room has always been a sanctuary for me. A place of peace and relaxation where I could hide from the rest of the world. I always took pride in my room and I knew if I didn't do this today, with my emotions high, I'd procrastinate for months. The only challenge I faced was hiding my new bruises from Aunt Tammy. Not only would she be constantly worrying about me, but she'd make a big scene about it. I pulled into my driveway and shut off my car. I sighed, relaxing back into my seat. The soft pitter patter of the rain on the ground was soothing to me. I had always loved the rain, but I didn't know how I was going to hold up with this much rain. After jamming my keys into my pocket and grabbing my book bag, I decided to head in. It wasn't raining too hard so I took my time walking in. I walked in and slipped off my shoes. Aunt Tammy was sprawled out over the couch and smiled to me.

"So, how was your day?" she asked, sitting up now. I just shrugged.

"It was decent I guess," I said.

"Did you make any new friends? Are your teachers nice?"

"Yeah, the teachers are nice, and I met some pretty cool people so far," I said with a nod. Not including the Cullens.

'Well, that's good. Are the classes hard?"

"Nah, they're still pretty easy," I said, edging towards the stairs.

"Any cute boys?" she asked then with a wink and a grin. I only laughed and rolled my eyes.

"No, Tammy, they're all horribly hideous," I said. sarcastically. She only laughed.

"I'm ordering pizza tonight, is that okay?" she asked.

"Sure," I said with a grin. I hoped the pizza here was as good as it was in Los Angeles. I was going to complain if it was too greasy. Honestly, who in their right mind would promote clogging arteries like that? I started up the stairs, glad she had run out of things to ask me for now. I hurried into my room and set my book bag down. The walls of my room were a midnight blue that I loved. It helped that I didn't have to go through the trouble of trying to find a good color for my room later. I grabbed the box marked "Amber's Clothes" and opened it. I didn't have a lot of clothes, but what I did have I cherished. That's all that mattered to me. I didn't need a new outfit for everyday of the year. I opened the door to my decent sized closet and started hanging up my clothes. I always separated them by nice clothes, jeans, and then t-shirts. I left the door open and moved over to my dresser. It was nice to not have to cram all my clothes in it. I opened the top drawer and neatly put in all of my undergarments. I placed the now empty box by the door and moved on. By the time I was done, my stereo was set up on my dresser, bookcase filled with books next to my closet, and computer set up in the corner so that it faced the door. I had a thing where I hated people coming up behind me so I liked to have my chair to the wall and have a clear view of the doorway. My walls had been covered with various posters, pictures, and a calendar. I slid the pictures of my mother and me into a notebook and crammed it in between my mattress and box spring. I kicked the now empty boxes into the hall. The only ones remaining were filled with odds and ends that I would put up later. I made my bed and put up the thick gold curtain from my last room. It was slowly starting to feel more like my room.

"Amber! The pizza is here," Tammy called to her from the staircase.

" 'Kay," I called back. All that moving around was really starting to make my chest ache, but I didn't care. I was going to be stuck with these bruises for a while, so I might as well get used to them. I walked down to the kitchen and smiled as the smell of the pizza filled my nose. It didn't appear to be overly greasy, so I guess it was trustworthy. I grabbed a slice and put it on the paper plate next to the box. Picking it up, I went into the living room and plopped into the lay-z-boy.

"Mmm, 'dis isn't half bad," Tammy said with a mouthful of pizza. I laughed and took a bite. It was pretty good, surprisingly. I noticed that while I was at school Aunt Tammy had unpacked all the other boxes. She always was one to get things done quickly. She was watching the news, which definitely was a lot less interesting that the news back in Los Angeles. I don't know if I'll be able to deal without at least SOME kind of excitement.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Tammy said, finishing up her bite. I looked over to her, waiting patiently. "Sam Uley, that man from yesterday, invited us to come to some bonfire down on the beach on Saturday. I think it would be a good idea to go and get to know some new people," she said with an excited smile. I smiled.

"Really? That does sound like a lot of fun," I said. I really wanted to get a chance to talk to Jacob. After hearing my mother's stories I was very fond of him. In fact, I almost wished that he would have been my Dad instead.

"So does that mean you'll go with me?" she asked, smiling wider.

"Of course, Aunt Tammy. I wouldn't make you go alone," I said. After I finished my pizza and threw my plate away, I headed back upstairs. Luckily, there had been no homework tonight. I grabbed my favorite pair of comfy shorts, a tank top, and headed into the bathroom. It wasn't a very big bathroom and the walls were a light blue. Tammy had already unpacked all the bathroom stuff, so thankfully I didn't have to go looking for anything. I turned the water on and stripped down, throwing my clothes in the clothes hamper. When the water was warm enough I hopped into the tub and pulled up the thing on the faucet and squeaked slightly. A blast of cold water poured over me before it was replaced with the warm. The water came out faster than I expected it to. I stood there and just let the water run over me. It was relaxing, and felt good on my aching chest and shoulders. I looked down and gasped. The bruise was a lot worse already. Half of my chest and parts of my shoulders were covered by the sickly black and blue marks. I was going to be wearing strictly t-shirts until this healed, I decided. I took my time cleaning myself, relaxing. I hadn't had anytime to just relax like this since we started the move and I was going to enjoy every second of my free time tonight. When I was done, I got out and dried myself off carefully. I wasn't sure how long I could hide these bruises from Tammy, but I would try my best. I slipped into my tank top and shorts, then brushed through my hair and put it up in a quick bun. It made it easier to deal with in the morning.

I walked back to my room and closed the door behind me. I crinkled my nose, and walked over to my window. The house hadn't been completely aired out before we moved in so it the air was still a little stale. I opened the window as wide as I could, praying it wouldn't just slam shut. When it didn't I walked over to my dresser. I opened the small music box and smiled and the calming music started to play. I had never known the song, but I had always loved it. I reached in and carefully pulled out a long silver chain. Attached to it was a small, wooden wolf charm carved with such detail that it was amazing. The second thing was a small, crystal shaped heart that sparkled with even the smallest amount of light. Yes, it had been my mother's. I wanted to bury it with her, but she had told me a long time ago that if anything ever happened to her, it was mine. I had taken them off the bracelet and put them on a necklace. I was never a fan of bracelets and it was easier to hide necklaces.

With a sad sigh, I put the necklace on and slid it under my tanktop. I had taken it off so nothing would have happened to it during the move. I felt better now that I was wearing it again. I grabbed my ipod off my desk and plugged it into the cassette that was in my stereo. I put it on shuffle and layed down on my bed. I hummed along with the melody. Slowly but surely, I fell asleep.

--

_"Mommy?" I said, trying to get my mother's attention. My mother was weaving through the large crowd of people, holding onto my hand tightly. It didn't hurt, but confused me a little._

_"What is it, Amber?" she asked, glancing down at me._

_"Why are we taking the subway? It's really noisy and smells funny," I complained, crinkling my nose. Mommy only smiled and kept going._

_"I decided to try something new today," she said, weaving closer to the subway. We stopped at the edge and waited. Mommy looked around anxiously and I looked around too._

_"Whatchya looking for Mommy?" I asked, going on tipy-toe since I wasn't as tall as everyone else yet. Mommy always told me that one day I would grow up to be tall and big like everyone else. I wished I would hurry up. Mommy told me that I was special for a 8 year old and that I had the mind of someone older. I thought she was silly. Many people said I was too old to be holding her hand still, but I thought they were silly too. I loved holding Mommy's hand. It made me happy._

_"Nothing. I just wish the subway would hurry up," she said, smiling down to me. My lips formed a silent 'o' and I nodded. "Finally," she muttered when we heard the noisy subway start to come closer. She crouched down in front of me and smiled. "Now, don't forget to straight to Tammy's after school, okay?" I nodded and she kissed my forehead. I didn't care what anyone else thought, I had the best Mom in the world. The subway was getting closer and I fidgeted. I didn't want to stand here anymore. But then, without warning, Mommy's hand was ripped from mine, and.._

I bolted up, a scream escaping my lips. I was breathing heavily, sweat covering my skin as a sob escaped me. The hot tears fell down my cheeks and it hurt, but I couldn't stop the sobs. I hadn't had that dream in so long.. Suddenly, my door flew open and there was Aunt Tammy, breathless and in her nightgown.

"Amber! Are you okay? What happened?" she asked quickly, rushing to my side. She sat down on my bed and I quickly clung to her. She cradled me and just let me cry onto her shirt. She rubbed my back and whispered softly to me, but I wasn't sure what she was saying. That was my worst nightmare. It had been suppressed for such a long time. I hadn't had it in years. Slowly, my tears stopped, but my body shook slightly. "Amber, was it that dream?" she asked. Aunt Tammy had always been there to comfort me at night when I woke up night after night with the same dream. I nodded and she understood. She wiped the tears from my face, and I sat up. Suddenly she gasped. I frowned and she got up quickly. Next thing I knew a blinding light turned on. I covered my eyes quickly and groaned. "Oh my god, Amber.. Where did you get those bruises?" I froze. Shit. I looked down and noticed you could clearly see my bruised shoulders.

"I ran into someone and fell in Gym," I muttered.

"Someone?! Looks more like a brick wall! Are you okay?" she asked, returning to my side again. Marble, I corrected mentally.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. The nurse sent me to see a doctor over to the hospital and he said I was going to be fine." She looked skeptical but got up.

"Alright. Well, I'm gonna go back to bed. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?" I nodded and she turned my light off and left, closing my door behind her. Maybe coming here hadn't been such a good idea. I looked at my clock to see it was only 5:30. I groaned. I still had 2 and half hours before school started. I swung out of bed and turned my ipod off. I made my way downstairs quietly and slipped my shoes and coat on. I walked into the kitchen and wrote a note to Tammy so she knew where I was 'Gone for a drive, I'll be back in time to get ready for school'. I left and quietly got into my car. I started it up and pulled out of the driveway and drove off. I was headed for La Push. It was a bit early in the morning for a beach visit, but I didn't care. I parked my car, turned it off, and got out. I walked down towards the water and sat down on the dry sand. I zipped up my jacket and drew my legs up to my chest. I wrapped my arms around my knees and rested my chin upon them. The beach was beautiful, even if it wasn't in the sunlight.

She had been here once, I thought. My body shook slightly, tears threatening to spill over but I stopped them. If I cried anymore I'd sleep through half of the day. I was glad today was Friday. It was awkward starting school towards the end of the week, but right now I was grateful for it. I was anxious to talk to Jacob. Out of everyone, I had a feeling he'd be the most understanding. The only thing I thought that would stop him from liking me was that I'm half vampire. I hoped he'd understand anyways though and accept me. Sometimes I wondered what would happen if I just told Edward. How would he react? Would they accept me too? Despite the fact that I hated him, he was my father. I had never had one of those growing up, and a part of me yearned to know what it was like. Too bad it had to be him, I thought angrily. It's all his fault. I don't know if I could ever forgive him.. I sighed and watched the waves crash gently against the rocks.

I don't know how long I had been there, but once I saw the faint light of the sun I decided it was time to go. I stood up and stretched, my limbs stiff from sitting in the same position too long. The pleasant feeling was soon killed though when I stretched too far and pain shot through me. Stupid bruises. I hope Edward was happy with himself for what he did. I wiped the sand off from my shorts and wondered if he really wouldn't be there today. I walked back to my car, started it up, and left before Tammy got too worried and sent someone out to look for me. I came home to find Tammy was asleep on the couch. I smiled softly and quietly went upstairs and got changed. After making sure none of my bruises were showing, I let my hair down and brushed through it quickly. I left the hair tie on my wrist, gabbed my book bag, and went back downstairs and saw that she was still sleeping soundly. I crossed off my note on the fridge so she would know I had come home and set out again.

When I pulled into the school parking lot I saw that once again, I was one of the first people there. I traveled to the locker number on the top of my shedule and got the combination right first try. That had to be a record for me. I'm known for having a hard time with lockers. I left my bookbag and biology notebook in my locker and brought my History book, Math book, a large notebook, and crammed some pencils into my pockets. I closed my locker door and almost ran smack dab into another topaz eye holder. God damn them and their sneaky, silent movements. I backed up to see that it was Jasper. He was alone for the moment and a small streak of fear jolted through me. It was gone quickly, and I suddenly felt relaxed. Wow, that felt weird, I thought.

"Hello," he said, kindly. There was a small smile on his face.

"Er.. hi," I said, fidgeting a little.

"I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay. Carlisle said you'd be fine, but you ran into Edward pretty hard," he asked, concerned. I noticed how he was asking on me running into him and not how I fell. I smiled back, nodding a bit

"Oh, no worries! I'm fine. Thanks for asking though," I said, trying to mask my pain and irritation.

"That's good to hear. I don't think Edward would be able to forgive himself if he hurt you too badly," he said. There was a silent conflict in his eyes though as he said this. I was guessing that it was from the confusing nature of all my mixed expressions. At the moment I was scoffing mentally, but I tried my best to keep my emotions at ease.

"Well, I'm perfectly okay. You can let him know that," I said.

"Alright, I will," he said with a faint smile. He turned and walked away too slowly for me. I made my way to English and when I was sure everything was clear I sighed loudly, letting relief flood through me. I don't think I fooled him at all, though. Not one bit.

--

**Alright, so this one might seem a little slow, but I had to get some background in there. **

**So, who's excited for the bonfire? ;D **

**I know I am.**


	5. Friends

I got to my English class, and stopped in the doorway. Mr. Steele was handing back tests to kids as they entered the room.

"Well, Ms. Sanders, congratulations on your first good grade in my class," he said with a smile. He handed me my paper and a large red 95 was written at the top. I smiled up at him and then claimed my seat in the back again. I layed my head down on my desk and closed my eyes. I wish I had just been able to go back to sleep.

"Wow, you look like shit," came a familiar voice from beside me. I opened and eye to see Brandon sitting next to me.

"Long night," I muttered, closing my eye again.

"Yeah? Well, how are you doing? We heard Mrs. Rose sent you to Dr. Cullen to see if you had a concussion. That's what Edward told us at least." I groaned. I didn't want to hear any of their names right now.

"Yeah, she did. He said I'll be fine though. There was no concussion," I told him sleepily.

"That's good," he said. I was forced to sit up when the teacher started his lesson. The day was going by slowly. I don't know if it was because I was tired or because I wanted to see if I was right or not. In History, Becky told me all about how Edward was forced to carry me to the Nurse's office since he was the one who knocked into me. That must have made his day, I thought with a grin. I was unconscious so it didn't bother me any. Now if I had been awake, it would have been a different story. She told me about how we still beat the other team and how satisfying it was to see Rosalie all pissed off. It was a good feeling to know that even while I was unconscious I still made their lives hell somehow.

By the time lunch rolled around I was starving. I had forgotten to eat breakfast and I was paying for it now. I opted for the ham sandwhich instead of pizza. It looked kind of weird, and I had had pizza last night. I went and sat with my new crew, looking around. Sure enough, Edward wasn't there with the rest of his family. He'll be back Monday, I figured. Everyone talked amongst themselves and I listened. I didn't really have anything to add. When I got to Biology I was glad to see that we were watching a movie. Once Mr. Stone turned the lights off, I rested my head on my hand so it looked like I was paying attention and fell asleep quickly.

"Hey, Amber. Wake up, class is over," I heard Brandon whisper in my ear. I jerked up slightly, almost knocking my head into his.

"Mmm, I was sleeping so good too," I mumbled through a yawn, stretching slightly. I ventured to my locker and put all my books inside my book bag. When I walked into the Gym I realized I had forgotten my Gym clothes again.

"Sanders! Come over here for a minute," Coach called from his office. I frowned and walked in, glancing around. There room was small, but I think it only looked that way because of the trophies stacked on the walls and because he was so much bigger than his chair.

"Yes, Coach?" I asked.

"Nurse tells me you're not to play for a while, Dr. Cullen's orders," he said, leaning back in his chair. I groaned and started to protest but he cut me off. "They tell me you got banged up pretty bad and it wasn't your head they're worried about," he said standing up. I blinked and clenched my jaw a little. He closed the door. "Exactly how hard did you run into Edward?"

"Not hard enough to not play," I muttered. He smiled and shook his head.

"I admire your spirit, but if it's as bad as they say, then I can't let you play," he said, regretfully. I sighed and reached up to the collar of my shirt. When I started to pull it down I saw his eyes widened.

"Jesus, Sanders. I never would have thought you hit him THAT hard," Coach said, obviously shocked.

"Yeah, well if that asshole hadn't of ran into me I could still be playing," I grumbled angrily. Coach only laughed and opened the door again.

"Well, sorry kid, but you're going to have to sit out until that heals up a bit. We don't need that getting any worse," he said. I glared at him and sighed angrily, marching out of the room. I walked off towards the bleachers and sat down, pouting angrily.

"Amber? What's up?" Becky asked, walking over to me with a worried look on her face.

"I'm not allowed to play. Doctor's orders," I grumbled.

"That blows," she said, placing her hands on her hips. She looked down at me apologetically. Maybe I'd get lucky and my vampire magic crap with heal my bruises quickly. It never had before, but I seriously wished it would now. Otherwise, what would I tell my friends when I wasn't allowed to play Gym all next week or even longer?

"Emmett, Martin," Coach said, pointing his thumb behind him. The guy I assumed to be named Martin stood up with a slight groan. "Stop your whining," Coach snapped.

"I thought he only picked favorites?" I whispered to Staci.

"He has his favorites that he likes to pick on and his favorite players," she explained. I smiled and nodded.

"Emmett, your pick," Coach called.

"Jasper," he said with a wide grin. Martin looked over the group nervously unsure of who to choose.

"Alice," he managed to squeak out. He looked at Emmett fearfully, as if waiting for him to get angry and smite him. I giggled as an image of Emmett getting angry and growing really big filled my mind, glaring down at the tiny Martin going "What?! : o" and smushing him.

"Oooh, good call," he said. Martin seemed shocked that his life had been spared. "Rosalie," he said, winking at her. She was obviously thrilled to be on his team. As Martin looked around, I could tell he was looking for Edward. When his eyes landed on me, they lit up.

"Oh, uhm, Amber, right? I want her," he said with a grin.

"No can do," Coach said. Poor Martin's face fell and he looked like he was going to cry. "Doctor's orders, she's not to play for a while." I glared at him and pouted some more. I ignored the Cullen's questioning looks. Obviously, Edward hadn't told them what he probably probed from Carlisle's mind. Instead I pointed at Becky encouragingly with a thumbs up. He seemed to get my drift and picked her. I moved up farther on the bleachers once the game started to make sure I didn't get hit by anyone. Of course, Emmett's team won, but Martin's put up quite a fight.

"Coach, can I leave early?" I asked when everyone left to get changed.

"Sure, Sanders," he said before walking into his office. I looked down at my schedule and pulled the map from my pocket. After looking at it for a few minutes, and finding my study hall room, I headed to my locker. I grabbed my Math book and notebook since I had had homework for that class today. I was halfway to the room when the bell rang. Well, I wouldn't be too early, I thought. I entered the room and chose a seat in the far back. I opened my book and tore out a sheet of paper from my notebook. I wrote my heading then got started. As people started pouring in, I heard Emmett's booming laugh. Great, I thought. He didn't seem to notice I was in there yet.

"You're in my seat, Amber, but it's okay. I'll make an exception for you," I heard Emmett say. Guess I was wrong. I smiled up at him a little. Why was he being so nice?

"I could move?"

"No, no, You got here first. It's all good," he said and slid into the desk next to me. It probably would have looked more like a plop if it wasn't for him being a vampire. I finished my homework and looked up at the clock. Still a half hour left.

"You play a mean hockey game," Emmett said, turning to me. I cocked a brow and grinned, looking up at him. "It's too bad you couldn't play today. It was nice to have someone else on the field who actually tries. I was tired of all of us Cullen's being on the same team all the time."

"Well, with everything I heard, I figured it'd be better to split you all up. I guess it all depends on the person though," I said. He laughed and nodded.

"And then that crazy move you did when Edward tripped you with his stick, that was awesome," he said, leaning back.

"I've been in martial arts for about 3 years. It sharpens your reflexes quick," I said with a grin. Why were they all talking to me? There's something fishy going on here. I found it wasn't as hard to pretend to get along with Emmett. Though many may be scared of him because of his size, I knew that he wouldn't hurt me, so I had no problem talking to him. It just brought me closer to my goal.

"So, when do you think you'll be able to play again?"

"Hopefully sometime next week. I think I should have been able to play today, but no one will listen to me," I said, frowning. He laughed.

"I'm sure you'll be able to get out there and play soon. If Carlisle wanted you to sit out though then there must have been a good reason for it," he said, studying me now. I only shrugged. I wasn't about to show him. It was bad enough Carlisle saw. Hopefully he'll just think I bruise easy. I have to be more careful. Anymore slip ups and my plans might get ruined.

"So, why isn't Edward here?" I asked, changing the subject slightly.

"Oh, we're going hiking this weekend and he stayed home to help get everything together with Esme," he said.

"Esme?" I asked. Of course I knew her, but he didn't know that. I made sure to watch for traps like those. I don't know if he would have been suspicious if I had just nodded, but I didn't want to find out.

"Oh, she's our mother," he said. "I forgot you're new and don't know. No offense or anything. I do it to everyone." I laughed a little and nodded.

"It's fine." I layed my head down on my desk and waited for the period to end. All too soon I heard the shrill sound of the bell. I got up and went to my locker, quickly shoving my book and notebook inside. "Photography," I muttered, looking down at my map.

"Are you looking for the photography room?" asked a quiet voice from next to me. I looked up to see a petite girl with braided back dark brown hair and strikingly beautiful icy blue eyes.

"Yeah," I said with a friendly smile. She smiled back up at me. It was then that I noticed the camera hanging off her wrist.

"I'll show you how to get there," she said happily.

"Thanks," I said and we started off. It didn't take long to get there and I loved the atmosphere in there immediately. A window was cracked so fresh air was circulating through the room and the blinds were pulled up.

"Ahh, Ms. Sanders. Glad to see you could make it today," said the teacher from her desk. She was about my height with dark red hair and hazel eyes.

"Yeah.. About that. Sorry," I said, chuckling awkwardly. She only smiled.

"No need to apologize. Just try and be more careful in Gym from now on."

"I'll try," I told her with a grin.

"Alright, well. My name is Mrs. Nillava. We're not doing anything today, really. I gave an assignment yesterday, though. Take a picture of something that's important to you. It could be an object or a person. Anything. It's due by the end of next week," she said.

"Okay," I said with a wide smile. I could tell this was going to be one of my favorite classes. All the desks were put in a large circle and people were spread out all over. I sat down next to the girl who had led me here. There were 7 people including me.

"Your name is Amber, right?" asked a boy sitting across from here. He was fairly thin, but it didn't make him look anorexic. He had messy black hair and beautiful green eyes.

"Yeah, that's me," I said, leaning back.

"My name is Luke. Welcome to Forks," he said with a grin.

"Thanks," I said, smiling.

"My name is Amanda," said a small, but sporty looking girl next to him. She had reddish brown hair that was slightly curly and pretty brown eyes.

"Mine's Taylor," said a tanish boy from the other end of the circle. He had short cut dirty blond hair and blue eyes.

"I'm Courtney," said a girl with the same tanish skin a couple seats away from him. They looked alike except her hair was more of a blond and pulled back into a ponytail.

"They call me.. Josh," the last boy said in an ominous tone. He was about medium height and had shaggy dark brown and light brown eyes. There was a slight pause before everyone started laughing.

"Josh, you're such a loser," Amanda said, laughing. I laughed with them and shook my head a bit,

"My name's Jamie. It's a pleasure to meet you," the girl next to me said softly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Jamie," I said with a happy grin.

"Hey! What about me?" Luke asked, pretending to be offended.

"Pft, no," I said, making a funny face. He held his hand to his heart, gasping as they all started laughing again. "I'm only kidding," I said with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, grinning. Yeah, this was definitely going to be one of my favorites classes. The rest of the time we just sat around and talked. Even though I was new I felt like I had belonged there. Like we had always been friends. It definitely made my day a lot better. When class ended I walked out to my car, a smile still plastered on my face. I got in my car and started my drive home, pondering what I could take a picture of for my assignment. I couldn't take a picture of Mom's necklace. I didn't want them to know I had it yet. Just like how I couldn't take a picture of me with one of Mom's pictures. Maybe I could take one of Aunt Tammy, or my room. Once I got home, I sighed in relief. I couldn't wait for the bonfire tomorrow.

--

**Okay, I know this one is a bit shorter than normal, but I didn't want to get into the bonfire stuff until next chapter and didn't want to bore you with useless text.**

**Does anyone have any suggestions? What do YOU think is going to happen? It helps sometimes with ideas for now or the future. **

**Oh, and I know everything seems kind of serious and such right now, but trust me, when Edward gets back you might get a couple of good chuckles. I've got some humorous ideas. ;D**

**If you have any, let me know, even if they're not humorous. I've got ideas for humor and being a down right jerk. **


	6. Confrontation And Truths

"Are you SURE you really want to go, Amber?" Aunt Tammy asked me. I swear, she had asked me 10 times and we hadn't even left yet.

"Yes! I am absolutely positive," I said, exasperated.

"Really? I don't want you to get hurt anymore with those bruises. I don't want you to be uncomfortable if you can't participate in anything," she said, fidgeting at the door.

"Tammy, I'll be FINE. They're already starting to feel better," I lied. She shot me a look that obviously showed she didn't believe me. I sighed. "Don't worry about me. I'll be able to take care of myself," I said.

"Alright," she said, opening the door, before turning around again. "But if you get hurt again even ONCE we're coming straight back home."

"C'mon, Aunt Tammy," I whined. "Let's just go. I don't want to be the last one there."

"Fine, fine. Get in the car," she said. Tammy had an old bug that was a faded green color. I hated that car, but the seats were pretty comfy. I got in and buckled up. She got in and started up the car. Music filled the car and I groaned. She loved country music. Country music was my arch enemy. I swear, all it does is kill brain cells. I've slowly been able to form a small toleration for it, but it still gave me a headache after too long. I glared over at Tammy when she started singing but she ignored me. The closer we got to La Push, the more anxious I grew.

"Oh, Tammy, I need to warn you. Don't stare at Emily's face," I said.

"Emily?" she asked, looking over at me confused.

"Sam's girl," I said. She looked slightly disappointed, but I had warned her that they were all taken.

"Oh, why?" I paused for a moment.

"There was an accident a long time ago and half her face is very scarred," I explained. She frowned, looking slightly confused, but sympathetic. "She's used to the stares, but Sam's not. It makes him uncomfortable." She nodded. Tammy didn't know the stories Mom told me were true. It was better that way too. She shouldn't have to be dragged into any of this. We approached the beach and Tammy parked with the other cars. There was a giant pile of wood in the middle of the beach. It was going to last a long time, by the looks of it. We got out just as Sam was coming up to greet us.

"Tammy, Amber! I'm glad to see you were able to make it," he said with a smile.

"Well, of course. I wouldn't miss an opportunity like this," Tammy said, returning the smile. I looked around to see quite a bit of people were here already. I couldn't see Jacob yet, though.

"There's plenty of food and drinks, so go ahead and help yourself," he said pointing over to the table that had food piled on them. I grinned, wondering exactly how long it would all last. Aunt Tammy went off in the direction of what looked like adults, but who knew if they were actually teenagers or not. I walked off to the food tables. I was crazy thirsty. There were piles of hot dogs and hamburgers along with buns for each and huge bags of chips spread neatly all over the table. A little farther down was another table filled with cups and several 2 liter bottles of soda. The werewolves could probably eat all of this and be full, I thought to myself with a grin. I grabbed an opened bottle of Fruit Punch and poured myself a cup. It was one of my favorite drinks and I didn't care how childish it seemed. After making sure the top was on securely, I moved over to one of the logs that had been dragged up to be used as a chair. I sipped thoughtfully on my punch and stared out towards the water. Even though the sunlight was slowly fading away, it still looked beautiful. A lot better than it had yesterday morning. Music was playing off somewhere and from the sound of the beat it was something pop.

I wondered briefly if I was even allowed to be down here with being half vampire. If I wasn't, Sam wouldn't have invited me though, right? I had no idea if I smelled like a vampire or not. I smelled like me to me, that's all I knew. I knew they had to be suspicious of me slightly, but maybe Sam invited me down here more for Jacob's sake. I felt like I could trust the werewolves so much more than I could the vampires. They had no reason to lie to me, and they certainly couldn't lie to each other, so I assume honesty would be something that comes easy to them. I wanted to go ask him, but Aunt Tammy was over there talking with all of them and I wanted to discuss things with Jacob first. After a while, Sam walked over to the large pile of wood with the rest of the pack behind him. I still didn't see Jacob yet though.

"Man, where's Jacob?" Quil muttered, looking around.

"I don't know. Give him another call," Embry said.

"He's probably at home and being a little baby," Jared said with a frown.

"Shut your mouth," came a voice from behind them. I leaned back and saw Jacob walking up to them.

"It's about time! Where have you been?" Quil asked.

"I told you I would be a little late," he said, looking around. I turned away, not wanting to see the look on his face when he saw me. I could feel his eyes burning into my back soon enough though.

"Alright. Everyone get over here," Sam called to the people farther down the beach. When everyone had finally joined them, several of them with smiling with anticipation. "Listen up. As it was decided last time, tonight we're going to play football."

"Yeah!" came the cheers of most of the guys.

"We have some rules, too," Sam said, getting their attention back. "First, if there are any girls playing then you need to take it easy. We don't need anyone going to the hospital or losing their pride because they get slapped," he said, looking around the crowd. A couple of people chuckled. "Second, if anyone knocks over the tables here then they're cleaning it up. We should be far enough away though so that won't happen. Third, try not to kill this ball, guys. Other than that, let's get started." Everyone grinned and two teams were formed. It seemed like such a habit that I assumed they must be normal teams. I sighed, resting my chin on my hand and rested my elbow on my knee. Damn vampires, I thought. I wanted to play so bad, but NOOO. Someone just HAD to run into me and kill my fun for the rest of the week. Just wait 'til he gets back. "Are you playing, Amber?" Sam asked. Everyone kind of turned to look at me.

"I wish," I muttered. He only frowned a little, confused.

"Amber got run over in Gym class the other day and now she's supposed to take it easy. Doctors orders," Tammy explained. I sneered a little and she looked at me apologetically.

"Oh? Well, maybe next time," he said with a smile. I nodded and smiled back a little.

"Definitely," I told him. I saw a couple other people start smiling and they went farther down the beach to play their game. I got up and followed them, but made sure not to get too close so I didn't get hit by a flying ball or person. It was quite amusing to watch them. It was even more amusing when a foul got called on one of them and Emily, the referee, had to break up fights. Even though afterwards, the people fighting would just come out laughing and shoving each other. Men, I thought with a shake of my head. No one was actually keeping score, so when the game ended when it started to get dark, there was much debate over who actually won.

It was starting to get chilly and I was glad when I heard the cheers and saw the wood quickly get swallowed by the multi colored fire. There were blues, red, greens, and yellows all mixed in from the wood being driftwood and normal. Everyone gathered around and the food and drink quickly started to disappear. I threw my empty fruit punch cup into the large, half filled trash bag next to the food table. I looked over and saw Tammy was talking with a large group of women and smiled. I was glad to see she was making some friends. Coming to the bonfire really had been a good idea for more than one reason. I sat down in the sand and stared into the fire, smiling. I wasn't a pyro, but I loved to watch fire. I could stare at it for hours and not even realize it. It warmed me up pretty quickly and I was glad I hadn't brought my coat. Some people had run off towards the water and were swimming. I could hear the splashes and laughing. I sighed. Everyone seemed so happy.

"Can I talk to you?" asked someone softly from next to me. I jumped, and turned to see who it was. I hadn't even heard them come up. I blinked a little, waiting for my eyes to refocus from staring at the fire too long and saw Jacob standing there, looking down at me with a slightly clenched jaw.

"Sure," I said and stood up, wiping the sand off my jeans. He started to walk off and I followed him. It had gotten considerably darker and I was sure no one saw us when we walked off. Not that it mattered. They all trusted each other. I frowned as a small pain crossed through my chest. This one wasn't because of my bruises. He stopped in front of a piece of driftwood that I remembered from my mother's stories. I sat down and waited. Jacob didn't sit down, but instead paced slowly, seemingly in deep thought. I would be patient for him, though, even if the breeze was starting to make me miss the fire. He stopped several times and it seemed like he was going to ask me something, but then shook his head and kept pacing. After a couple more minutes, I chuckled a little. He stopped and looked at me questioningly. "Just spit it out, Jacob." He paused for a second.

"Are you Bella's daughter?" he asked.

"Yes," I told him, looking up at his face. I couldn't tell what he thinking.

"Is Edward Cullen your father?" he asked, forcing the name out. I sighed.

"Yes," I said again. This time I saw his jaw clench.

"Why are you here? Why isn't she with you?" he asked, walking closer now.

"I'm here because Tammy decided to move here," I said, not wanting to answer the other question. He only stared at me expectingly. "And.. she's not with me, because.. she's gone." I whispered sadly. His hands tightened into fists now.

"So, did she send you here to torture me or something? Wasn't choosing that bloodsucker enough?" he asked, angrily. I frowned and looked up at him.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "She never imagined I would come to meet any of you."

"Hmph."

"Do you seriously not believe me? If I was here to torture you, don't you think I would be around this area a lot more, looking for you?" I had a point and he knew it.

"Then why ARE you here?"

"I told you, my aunt wanted to move here."

"Why?"

"Beats me," I said. "She probably wanted to see the area Mom talked about so much."

"Bella didn't have any siblings," he stated.

"Tammy became her best friend after she left here. She's like family to me," I said. "The only family I seem to have left," I added softly.

"That's a lie. You have that whole leech family," he spat. I glared up at him.

"I want nothing to do with them other than to get vengance for what they did to her," I said coldly. He sighed and seemed to relax a little.

"So, does that mean, you're half vampire?" he asked cautiously.

"Yup," I said with a nod.

"Then why are you here? On this beach? You should know that bloodsuckers aren't allowed on this side of the line," he said, venomously.

"Excuse me?" I asked, angrily.

"You heard me, leech." I stood up and glared at him.

"Do you think I WANT to be one of them?" I spat at him, breathing heavily now. He only glared right back. "I didn't have a choice and you're going to make me an outcast simply because the man who conceived me was a vampire? Yeah, I can understand that you hold a grudge against him, but I'm just as much a human as most of the people here," I said, pointing back towards the large group of people. "I didn't CHOOSE to be this way. I was hoping you'd understand, but obviously I was wrong." I said angrily, shaking slightly. We only stood there, glaring at each other. I sighed and shook my head, turning to leave. Before I could take a step, I felt his warm hand wrap around my arm.

"Wait.. I'm sorry," he said quietly. I clenched my jaw a little and he stared at me with pleading eyes. With a deep breath I relaxed.

"Okay." The sounds of everyone laughing and having fun drifted back to us and I knew no one had heard us. Except maybe the pack, but they'd hear it all later anyways.

"You smell like them when you're angry," he said softly. I only shrugged a little. "So.. do you need blood too, like them?" I shook my head.

"No, I don't. But, I do like my steak rare," I said with a slight grin. He didn't appreciate my humor.

"Do you have.. powers? Like them?"

"Kind of," I said, crinkling my nose. He looked at me, raising a brow, obviously waiting for a explanation. "I can't control them, and they're not constant. Although, Edward not being able to read my mind has so far been a pleasant constant," I said with a grin. I saw the corners of his lips twitch. "Sometimes I can read minds too. I never know when it's going to happen, so it's weird when it does. I can see things in slow motion like they can sometimes, and I can run like them once in a while. I can project images into people's minds. I usually don't need a lot of sleep, but lately I have. Everything has been draining me," I said, thinking. "I've never really had to go to the doctors much, so I guess that means I have a good healing rate? Though it takes forever for bruises to heal," I muttered. He nodded, and sat down. I sat down next to him and bit my bottom lip.

"So, she told you everything?" I nodded. He was quiet for a moment.

"She missed you, you know," I told him, looking up at him. Pain flashed through his eyes and I frowned. "Even though she was hurting because he left her, she still missed her best friend." He sighed and ran his fingers through his long, black hair. "She even kept your charm," I said, tilting my head a little. I reached up and pulled the necklace out from my shirt when his head snapped up. I layed it so the charms were resting in my hands. He looked down at them sadly. "I wanted to bury them with her, but she told me when I was little that if anything ever happened to her, it was mine to take care of. I think, maybe, one day she DID hope that I would come here." I said. He reached up and gently took the small wolf in between in his fingers.

"What happened?" he asked softly, letting it drop back into my palm. I let it drop around my neck and dropped my head a little. I really didn't want to talk about it, but he had a right to know. "Amber?" he asked, when I didn't answer right away like I normally did. "You don't have to, if you don't want to," he said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "You deserve to know, but just so you know, it's not a pleasant story." I sighed loudly, sitting up now. "I was eight, and she was in a hurry. She wanted me to ride the subway that day with her for some odd reason. I was going to school and I remembered complaining because it was so loud and smelled bad," I said, a sad smile coming onto my face. "She was looking around a lot. She seemed nervous and she was holding my hand tightly. We were at the edge of the platform. When we heard the Subway coming closer she to told me to make sure I went straight to Tammy's after school," I said, my voice growing soft. "The subway was almost to us, when suddenly her hand wasn't in mine anymore," I said. I heard him breathe in sharply, obviously putting two and two together. "There was a lot of screaming, and someone was holding onto me." My voice started to crack and I could feel the hot tears forming in my eyes. "I don't know how it happened, or why. I managed to get free and ran to where everyone was. Security was trying to clear everyone out. I was small enough so that no one saw me at first, and I managed to see past someone to see what was going on," I said, trailing off as the tears spilt onto my cheeks now. I was shaking with grief, and I felt so cold.

Jacob was so still next to me that I had to look up to see if he was still there. The grief in his eyes and the tears streaming down his cheeks sent a sharp pain through my chest. I sobbed, not bothering to try and stop the tears now and latched onto him. He wrapped his arms around me cautiously at first, but when he felt my tears soak through his shirt and my body shake violently againt his he tightened his grip. His warmth felt so good, but I couldn't help but cry out when he held me too tightly. He immediately pulled away, placing his hands lightly on my shoulders as he looked down at me, concerned.

"Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I? Sometimes I don't realize my own strength," he said, rambling as he looked me over. I brought a hand up and wiped at my cheeks, shaking my head.

"No, it wasn't your fault. Remember when Tammy said I wasn't allowed to play?" He nodded. "Well," I said, reaching up and pulled down the collar of my shirt a bit. I heard him gasp. Even in the black night, you could still see the dark bruises against my pale white skin.

"What happened?!" he asked, shocked and slightly outraged.

"We were playing hockey in Gym. I went to get the puck and I guess Edward did at the same time. Next thing I knew, BAM, I ran into him and was greeted by the floor," I said, laughing a little.

"He did this too you?!"

"Yeah, but don't worry. I have plans on how to get him back." He seemed skeptical but wrapped his arms around me again more carefully this time.

"It must have been hard for you," he said softly. I leaned against his chest and nodded.

"I moved in with Aunt Tammy. It was hard for her too. I kept having dreams of that day over an over. She was eventually forced to send me to a therapist who helped me block out the dream. I had it again the other night though," I said, my voice still shaky. He rubbed at my cold arms, though he didn't need to. His warmth was doing just fine. This is what it must be like to have a father, I thought with a small smile.

"So it's been you two since you were eight?" he asked, looking down at me.

"Yeah. She never married. She had several boyfriends, but they were all assholes," I said, laughing a little.

"So, you didn't have a father figure at all growing up?" he asked, obviously bothered. I nodded.

"Charlie died before I was born, so."

"That must have been hard on you," he said softly.

"It didn't bother me until I got older. I had everything I wanted with Mom and Tammy until I got in the higher grades and listened to everyone's stories." He nodded. I sniffled a little, reaching up to wipe at my cheeks again. We sat for a few minutes in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"So, do they know?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I haven't told them. I waiting for the perfect opportunity. I think they're suspicious of it though, like you. I'm just working harder on getting them to think I'm not related."

"But, Edward is your father though. Don't get me wrong, I hate him with all of my being, but don't you want to.. you know, have some kind of connection with him? Like a father/daughter thing?" he asked, awkwardly. I paused for a moment.

"I do wonder what it would be like, if I told him. I wonder if he would accept me, like I had hoped you would. Despite the fact that he's biologically my father, in all honesty, I had always wanted you to be my Dad," I said, looking up at him now. He looked down at me, slightly shocked. "I always liked your stories better, and even though you had been a jerk sometimes, I just couldn't help but like you more. Besides.. maybe if you had been my father, she'd still be here," I said, my voice starting to crack again. He only sighed and rocked me slightly. The tears didn't last as long this time, and when I was finished I noticed that the fire had begun to die out and a lot of people had left. Mostly the pack and a few other people were left.

"We should probably head back before Tammy starts to get worried," he said, letting go of me and standing up. I stood up as well, stretching slightly. I knew I probably looked horrible but I hoped the dimness of the flames would mask that. I nodded and we slowly started to walk back. "Does Tammy know?"

"No, but she's heard the stories. She just doesn't believe them like I do," I explained. He nodded, understanding. When we rejoined the group I saw Sam glance at us. He smiled at us before jumping right back into the conversation. When we all decided it was time to head off and go to bed, Jacob hugged me warmly. I smiled, and returned the hug happily. The car ride home was quiet since we were so tired. Once we got home, we both shuffled upstairs. I yawned and changed quickly before laying down on my bed. Tonight had been one of the best nights of my life. Finally, the empty hole inside of me had started to be filled. With a smile on my face I drifted into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

--

**This ones pretty long. I love it. **

**So, to anyone who's sent me reviews and I haven't replied, I'm sorry. Between tests everyday and writing I forget who I have and haven't responded to. So, to all who have reviewed, I thank you very much. It's extremely appreciated. You all rock. ;D Give yourself a hug or something because you deserve it. **

**Anyways, can someone explain something to me? When I try to search for my story, it doesn't show up, and it doesn't show up in the recently updated either. My cousin noticed that too when she went to look for it. So, uhm, why is it like that? And how did you find my story? I'm not complaining or anything, trust me. I'm just curious and want to figure this out. Are people just updating so fast that mine gets shoved down the line? D:  
**


	7. Pranks And Getting Closer

--Sunday--

"Hey, hey, you, you, I don't like your girlfriend," I sang, dancing around my room in my pajama's. I was finishing up on unpacking and even had the curtain pulled back to let in the sunlight. "No way, no way, I think you need a new one," I sang into my hairbrush. I had my music going, candles lit, and on my last box. Life was good in my room. "Hey, hey, you, you, I could be your girlfriend." I turned around at a loud knock on my door.

"Okay, Avril," Tammy said, a large box in her hands. I only smiled and turned the volume down.

"Yes, my number one fan?" I asked, giggling. I was in a great mood today and nothing could kill it.

"I found a bunch of art supplies that I don't need and wondered if you had any use for them?" I walked over and looked into the box. Tammy was an artist and once she got some money she had planned on maybe opening up a place here in Forks. "I remember you mentioning that project, so yeah." There were paints and brushes and all sorts of different goodies. The thing that caught my eye was the several full bottles of glitter. I grinned slowly, a light bulb going off in my head.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks, aunt Tammy. I could see what I can use," I said, taking the box from her with a smirk.

"Okay," she said, turning. "Oh, and don't have your music too loud. I don't want any angry neighbors."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, setting the box on my bed and turned my music back up, but not as loud. I looked back into the box and snickered. Now if only I had a video camera..

--Monday--

Edward's P.O.V.

He pulled into the school's parking lot and parked his Volvo in his regular spot. He was definitely glad to have gone hunting over the weekend. God only knows what he would have done if he hadn't.

"Are you going to apologize to her today?" Alice asked, looking up at him once they had left the car.

"No," he said firmly.

"That's rude, Edward," she said with a frown. He only clenched his jaw slightly, sneering. She was the last person he wanted to see today, though he had vowed to figure out who she was. He couldn't accept that it was just a coincidence that that Amber girl looked just like Bella. His sweet, precious Bella.. He frowned as a sharp pain cut through his chest when her face filled his vision. He could still smell her.

"She seems like a pretty nice girl," Jasper said. He already knew that Jasper thought that there was something different about her too. She had such conflicting emotions.

"Yeah, and she totally kicked your ass at hockey," Emmett said with a grin. Edward only sneered at him and walked on. She was here. He could already smell her. She didn't smell as sweet as Bella, but there was something else about her. Something else that attracted him to her, though he couldn't put his finger on it. Rosalie didn't seem to like her either, but that was normal. She didn't like anyone. There was something odd about her. He remembered Carlisle thinking that too. Carlisle had been acting weird lately too. He was hiding something, Edward could tell. He definitely wasn't expecting the speech Carlisle gave him about being more careful. He had only seen glimpses of the girl's bruises through Carlisle's thoughts and he did feel slightly bad. No one else seemed to know about them though.

"Shut it, Emmett," Edward growled, walking on towards his locker. There she was, standing not too far off from his locker. He saw her glance at him from the corner of her eye. He heard the whole conversation she had had with Alice on the way to the hospital and understood Alice's frustration. Amber really hadn't answered any of the questions enough to give any clue's to who she was. He refused to believe in coincidences. The fact that he couldn't read her mind either drove him absolutely insane, just like it had with Bella. It was one thing to get used to it with her, but a total other with this girl. It didn't help that he was always seeing her in his head because everyone else was thinking about her. It was like deja vu. She already had a fan club of people she hadn't even talked to yet. That Brandon kid already seems pretty protective of her, he thought, starting to do his combination. He couldn't tell if it was because he liked her or because he was protective of all his female friends.

"Edward," Alice said, warningly, but at that moment he was showered in large flurry of glitter that erupted from his locker.

"What the hell?!" he exclaimed, taking a step back, surprised yet angry. Suddenly he heard Emmett's booming laugh. He turned to him, glaring.

"You think this is funny? Was it you?" he snarled. Emmett only held his hands up, shaking his head. He ignored the other people laughing and turned back around, trying to shake some of the glitter off. He wanted to know who had gotten his combination and how. Ignoring the empty bottles and rubber bands, he reached for the small piece of paper at the bottom of his locker. He picked it up and brushed off the glitter. The writing was neat and pretty. Obviously feminine.

_Now you can sparkle when you're not in the sunlight._

A streak of panic shot through him as he turned quickly to a wide eyed Alice. The rest of them gathered around, Emmett still grinning as he handed the card to Alice. He saw the shock, confusion, and fear cross her face before she handed it to the rest. Their faces quickly followed suit as they all wondered who knew of their secret.

Amber's P.O.V.

I walked into English, sitting in my normal seat and turned away from everyone. My body was shaking with the laughter I was holding in. The look on his face! It had been priceless. I wish I had been able to record it. That had been the best thing I had seen in forever. I couldn't help the giggles that kept escaping me.

"What's so funny?" Brandon asked, halfway through class. I turned to him, grinning.

"Didn't you see what happened to Edward this morning?" I asked, giggling. We were far enough back that the teacher didn't hear me. He only cocked a brow and shook his head. "Someone got into his locker and made it so when he opened it up glitter shot all over him." He grinned and I couldn't help the loud giggle that escaped me. He chuckled and a couple people glanced back at us. I bit my bottom lip, trying to stifle them. Mission Glitter Shower was a complete success. I just hoped they'd try to find out who knew about them instead of leaving. That's okay. There's much more to come to him though. I had several plans.

In History we got to work in partners so Becky and I laughed the whole time, making jokes from this morning, We did get the worksheet done, though I think we annoyed the teacher. In Math we were going over proofs. It seemed every time I started to understand everything changed and there were new rules. Fortunately for me, Luke shared that class with me and was more than happy to help me. He even offered to tutor me outside of school if I couldn't get it. I hoped he knew he would only be tutoring me if I needed it. Once we got to Lunch, I was still in super good mood. I loved the feeling of being high on life and whoever killed my good mood would die a slow painful death.

When I sat down with my cheeseburger and tater tots, my photography classmates came over and joined us. I was glad to see they all got along. The Cullens were sitting at their table, huddled together in what looked like an intense discussion. I only grinned, satisfied, and went back to eating. After deciding I didn't really like the tater tots, I decided to use them as ammo. I picked one up and carefully aimed. Jamie looked at me questioningly and then I chucked the tater tot right at Luke's face right when he went to take a drink. He almost choked on his milk and some of it leaked onto his face. We all burst out laughing at the shocked look on his face.

"Oh, it's on now, Sanders," he said, grabbing one of his own tator tots and chucked it at me. I ducked and it hit Becky right in the face. I started laughing and soon tator tots were everywhere. People were staring at us funny but we were having fun. When the bell rang we hurried and took care of our trays and hurried to class before a custodian came and tracked us down. Brandon and I were still laughing when we got to Bio.

"You're crazy, I swear," he said, laughing.

"I know," I said, laughing even harder. "But that's what makes me super awesome." He only grinned down at me before taking his seat. Edward still seemed troubled, but didn't keep as much distance now. It seemed he was putting this mornings incident behind him for the moment and tried to concentrate on me. The teacher had given us our assignment and we were all working out of our books. Some were working together, others were working by themselves.

"So, how are you today?" Edward asked, leaning back in his chair. I noticed that he had already finished his work. I was about halfway done. The assignment was pretty easy and class wasn't even half over. I glanced up at for a moment. His eyes were a bright topaz that I remember hearing so much about. I hated them.

"I'm pretty awesome, if I do say myself. How about you?" I asked, grinning a little when I noticed the traces of glitter still on his shirt and skin.

"I'm alright," he said, closing his book.

"That's good," I said, glancing up at him again with a small smile, before working some more. Oh, how easily the lies eased from my mouth. I loved it. When I finished and the teacher collected our work, I had no choice but to pay attention to Edward. I think that's what he was counting on.

"How do you like it here so far?" I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms, turning my swively chair to face him. It was probably an amusing site. We were both on the very ends of our table, leaning back in our chairs and facing each other. It could be weirder.

"It's pretty nice, actually. I've met some really nice people and it wasn't as hard a transition as I thought it would be," I said. He smiled and I almost went into another fit of giggles when the glitter shined in the light on his face. I wonder what they really looked like in the light. That would be a while though. It would be a while before they knew that I knew. Unless they told me or something weird happens.

"That's good to hear. Did you have a hard time moving in? I know it's just you and your Aunt," he said.

"No. We actually had some help from a bunch of men from the Quilete tribe nearby. Sam Uley and a bunch of other guys," I said with a smile. I saw him frown a little and I cocked a brow. "Do you know them?"

"Yeah, I do," he said, a guarded expression on his face.

"I figured. It is a small area, I'm sure everyone knows each other," I said, kind of lamely. I really didn't know what to say to him. He wasn't giving me much to work with so I decided it was my turn to ask questions. "So how long have you and your family been living here?" He seemed surprised at first that I would ask.

"We've been in the area for a few years," he said, watching me.

"Oh? Where did you move from?" I asked, pretending to be interested.

"Alaska," he said, lightly drumming his fingers on the table top. I glanced over at the clock. Class was almost over.

"Alaska? Wow. It must have been cold up there," I said, tilting my head.

"I don't mind the cold." I nodded and turned a little, straightening up my books. We had Gym next. Even though my bruises were feeling a lot better, they didn't look any better. I knew coach wouldn't let me play.

"Was that a hard transition?"

"Not particularly." Yeah, because it wouldn't have been the first time.

"Hmm," I said, glancing up at the clock. Almost. What was really the point in going to Gym? I can't play. Maybe I'll ask the coach if I can leave. I don't want anyone to come looking for me though. I really need to start getting more friendly with them. It was hard since I only had two classes with them. I wasn't giving up my lunch period for them. I didn't even notice at first that Edward was studying me with a slight frown. It wasn't until you get one of those weird feelings and you have to look up because you know someone is staring at you. I glanced up and looked at him slightly confused. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. Sorry," he said, snapping out of it and turned away from me. Weirdo. I could tell he was still glancing at me and I was glad when the bell rang. I hurried out of class and got to Gym before everyone came in from getting changed. I sat down on the middle part of the bleachers, leaning back on the wooden seat behind me.

"Sanders, how's that bruise?" Coach asked when he saw me.

"It's getting better," I said.

"Good," he said. "You'll be ready to get back out there in no time."

"I still say I can play now, Coach," I said, crinkling my nose. I hated looking weak. Stupid bruises. He only laughed and started taking attendance as people walked in. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an aggravated Edward and a frowning Alice exchange a few words before Edward started to walk over to where I was sitting. Oh great, now what. I pretended not to notice that I had seen anything.

"Amber?" I looked up when he appeared next to me silently with a slightly nervous smile on his face.

"Hm?"

"I owe you an apology for what happened the other day," he said. I couldn't tell if he meant it or if he was forcing the words.

"Yeah, well, you're about 4 days late," I said with a slight grin. He frowned a little. Man, he needed to get a sense of humor.

"It was a horrible thing for me to do. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, serious. I frowned a little, holding my hands up a little.

"Whoa, hey. Accidents happen. There's nothing to worry about. I forgive you," I said. Not really, I added with a mental sneer. He nodded, and I guessed he believed me. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but left instead when Becky and everyone came to join me.

"What was that all about?" she asked, sitting down next to me. I watched him walk away, sighing.

"He wanted to apologize for running me over the other day," I said. I heard a couple laughs at my word choice, but team picks were starting. I ignored Edward's gaze when Emmett had to explain to him why I couldn't play. The rest of the day went by pretty slowly. Even Photography was a bit slow, but still fun. I decided today would be a good day to find a good radio station and fiddled with it in the parking lot before I left. After I found a decent station I started my journey back. When I got to the house I noticed a couple of cars I didn't recognize. I parked behind Tammy's car so I didn't block anyone in. I got out and walked up toward the house. I heard laughing and talking. Maybe Tammy had invited some people over? I opened the door and walked inside, peering around. The chatter stopped for a moment as everyone stopped to look at me. Several of the ladies from the bonfire were there, along with a few I didn't recognize. They were sitting around drinking god knows what.

"Oh, Amber. Look who's here! Emily decided to stop over with some of the ladies and welcome us to Forks. They even brought food," Tammy said, smiling happily.

"Awesome," I said, with a grin, slipping my shoes off. They were all smiling at me. If I didn't know them kind of I would think it was kind of creepy.

"How was school, Amber?" asked Emily. She probably knew everything about me and I think I kind of recognized Leah in the mix. I wasn't sure what anyone else knew.

"Eh, it was alright. Nothing exciting happened," I said with a shrug. They only laughed and went back to talking once I started to go upstairs. I was relieved to get out of that so easily. Normally, they have a lot of questions to ask. I sighed and walked towards my bedroom. When I reached my doorway, I stopped. There was someone standing in the middle of my room.

--

**Sorry it took me so long to update this time, everyone. I was out at a friends house and I decided to relax for a while. I know this one's a little shorter than the others, but that's because I was still going with it, but I didn't know how to end it so I decided to start another chapter instead of making this one too long. I don't think this chapter was all that great, but you're all free to give me advice and maybe some pointers if you'd like. Let me know what you like about my story and what you don't really care for. I mean, I love everyone's reviews and the positive feedback, but it's good to get some critique sometimes so I know what to fix. Unless I'm just that amazing. ;D**


	8. Pictures And Prophecies

**Okay, so this chapter would have been up yesterday, but I had to re-write it like 3 times because the power kept going out. Kind of discouraging, but I was determined to get it finished. I was almost done when it went out the first time. **

**Let's get on with it, shall we? **

--

"It's not polite to go through people's rooms when they're not home," I said. Jacob, who had been standing in the middle of my room, looking at everything nearly banged his head on the ceiling when he jumped. I couldn't help but start to giggle. **(A/N : I bet you all thought it would be some big bad vampire. Nope. Not yet.. oh whoops, did I say that out loud? ;D )**

"That's not funny," he said frowning at me. That only made me laugh harder as I walked in. He grinned and glanced around again. "You've got an.. interesting room."

"Hey! Don't you make fun of my room. I love my room," I said, glaring at him. He raised a brow when I put my hands on my hips. "Why are you here anyways? And going through my room?"

"I just wanted to see how it was going. I know that leech must have been back today," he said, sitting down on my bed. I plopped down next to him and nodded.

"Yup, he was, but that doesn't explain why you're in my room," I said, looking up at him with a grin. He laughed.

"It was better than staying down there with them and listening to them talk about those woman things."

"Uh huh." We laughed and he glanced down at me. Even though he was probably well in his 30's, he still looked like he was about my age. I could easily see the charm Mom saw. If only he had a son, I thought with a mental sigh.

"So, he was there?" I nodded.

"Yeah, he was. He's more talkative now, too. Probably because he fed," I said. I saw him frown slightly. "Oh, sorry," I said, glancing up at him with a frown.

"No, it's okay. You don't need to sugar coat anything."

"Okay," I said with a nod. We sat in silence for a moment.

"What did he want to know?"

"Oh, he was just asking me basic stuff about the move and such. I told him a bunch of men from La Push came over to help us out and the look on his face was funny. Not as funny as the look of his face when I pranked him though," I said with an evil, happy grin.

"What did you do?" he asked, cocking a brow.

"Aunt Tammy gave me a bunch of art supplies the other day and there was a bunch of glitter in there. So I got to school early and rigged his locker so that when he opened it, the glitter would shoot all over him. It was complicated to do, but the look on his face was priceless. I wish I had had a video camera so I could show you. I added a note at the bottom that said 'Now you can sparkle when you're not in the sunlight'." Jacob stared at me for a moment before he burst out laughing. I couldn't help but laugh with him. It was contagious.

"That's amazing," he said inbetween laughs. I nodded, trying to catch my breath.

"I was laughing about it all day. They didn't seem to like my prank though after they read the card."

"Good, maybe it'll get them to leave," Jacob said, still grinning slightly. I chuckled and shook my head.

"I've already got new ideas," I said. He looked down, excited.

"Like?"

"Well, I can't tell you, silly," I said, nudging him a little. "That would ruin the surprise."

"Aww! C'mon, Amber," he pleased, pouting.

"Nope, not telling." I looked up at him and made a zipping motion over my lips, pursing them together. I shook my head at him when he continued to beg.

"Hmph, fine," he said with a defeated pout. I only laughed and leaned on his side a bit.

"You'll find out after I do them. Maybe I'll even find a way to record the next one." He only chuckled and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. He really was comfortable. How Mom could ever choose a hard, cold, rock over a warm, comfortable body will forever confuse me, but whatever.

"Do you have any pictures of her?" he asked, as if almost reading my mind. I nodded.

"Want to see them? Maybe I'll even give you one," I said with a grin. He looked down with a small smile and nodded. I hopped off my bed and shoved my hand in between the box spring and mattress.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking down at me confused.

"Getting my notebook," I said, reaching around. "Aha!" I grabbed it and pulled it out. "Fair warning, some of these have Edward in them too. And not all of them are of her. There's some of my pictures and stuff in here," I said sitting down next to him. He nodded. When I started to open it he held up a hand.

"Wait, there isn't anything dirty in here, is there?" he asked me, slightly embarrassed, yet serious.

"No!" I exclaimed, laughing as I felt my cheeks flare up too.

"Good," he said with a laugh, letting his hand drop. I opened the notebook and pulled out the pile of pictures. The first one was of Mom. She was smiling at the camera in our old living room. It wasn't the smile that I had seen in her pictures with Edward, but it was still just as beautiful. Jacob reached over and gently picked up the picture, staring at it sadly. I smiled sadly, sighing slightly.

"You can have that one, if you want," I said. "It's my favorite, but I have duplicates of most of them, so I don't mind sharing." He looked up at me gratefully.

"Thanks," he said, keeping a hold of the picture as he looked down at the pile again. I laughed and shook my head. There was me, sitting at a table with cake smeared all over my face. I was smiling up at the camera happily and Mom was in the background with a washcloth ready.

"This one was at my third birthday party. I still have the teddy bear Mom got me that day," I said. He grinned and shook his head. I moved onto the next picture and burst out laughing.

"What are you doing?!" Jacob asked, laughing.

"Mom was trying to get a good picture of me but every time she went to take the picture I'd make a funny face," I said, smiling at the memory. I had been five.

"It looks more like you're trying to eat the camera," he said, laughing still as he looked at the picture with a funny look on his face. I moved onto the next one and my happy grin soon turned to a sad, small one. I was standing out front of our old house, my arms folded across my chest with a frown on my face. I was wearing a pretty, white dress and my hair was done up. It had been the first day of 4h grade and I hated that dress. "What?" he asked, seeing the look on my face.

"I remember giving Mom such a fuss about wearing that thing. It had been the first day of school," I said, trailing slightly as I slid that picture to the side to look at the next one. In this one I was smiling up at the camera happily from the porch steps and Mom was kissing the side of my head. I gently ran my thumb over the picture. I could still feel her kiss when I looked at this picture. "This was a week before her accident," I told him. He reached over and placed his warm hand over mine, squeezing it comfortingly. My hand was so much smaller than his, but I didn't mind.

"Can I have one of those?" he asked, indicating to the smiling one. I nodded and handed him one, smiling a little. He put it with the other one and I glanced down when I saw his frown. It was the picture of Edward in Mom's old kitchen when she lived with Charlie. This was one of the pictures I didn't have extras of. I had buried the other one with Mom along with several other pictures. I quickly moved onto the next picture, conveniently skipping over the one of Mom and Edward in Charlie's living room. The next was a picture of Mom and Tammy. It was at a funny angle and I remembered I had taken it for them when I was 6. That was around the time I had decided I wanted to do stuff with photography. I moved onto the next one and smiled. Tammy and I were standing in the middle of a messy room with paint all over us and the walls.

"That was a fun day," I said, giggling. He grinned, cocking a brow.

"Who took the picture?"

"Dave, her ex boyfriend."

"What happened to him?"

"He cheated on her four times. He hated me for telling her, too, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to let him do that to Tammy. My friends hated it when I was right about their relationships, but they always appreciated it. I always kind of felt bad when I couldn't tell them how I knew, or when I couldn't tell them if anything was wrong or not." He smiled a little and I moved on to the next picture. It was one of me and my ex, Cory.

"Wow, he looks like an asshole," he said, frowning at the picture.

"He wasn't at first," I said with a sigh. We were sitting in the food court at the mall and he had an arm wrapped around me loosely. He was a cheating bastard too, and I never would have known if I hadn't of walked in on him with the other guy. He tried to make some stupid excuse but I knew better than to fall for it. "You know, it's funny. I can always tell when things are bad in other people's relationships, but when it comes to mine, I can't," I said with a slight chuckle. The next picture was of me and my best friend back at Los Angeles, Tara, standing in the middle of a street, making funny faces. I chuckled, but then I suddenly felt the urge to go empty my bladder. "Uhh, here," I said, shoving the pile of photos into his hands.

"What?" he asked, frowning up at me, confused.

"I have to pee," I said with an awkward laugh and left quickly. I could hear his loud laugh even after I closed the bathroom door. When I was all done, I walked back to my room

to see him frowning at a picture in his hands. "What's that look for?" I asked. He held up the picture and I stopped.

"Who's this? He's in a lot of the pictures," he asked. The picture was of me and an ex, kissing. We were in my old backyard and we were both smiling. It looked like I was trying to push him away and I remembered that he had been trying to tickle me. I sighed and he lowered the photo, placing it back into the pile. He put them back in the notebook and handed it to me. I put it back into it's hiding spot and sat down next to him again.

"He was my ex, Damen, but he died too. We had gotten into this big fight because I thought he was cheating on me, but he left before we were able to finish the argument. I was too angry to stop him, but I wish I had. Next thing I knew, I was getting a phone call saying they found his car crashed into a tree, but he was nowhere to be seen. There was a serial killer going around at the time. The killer is in jail, but not all of the bodies have been found. It happened only a couple months before we moved here," I told him softly. "He was the first man I ever loved and we had been together almost 2 years. A lot of my friends were concerned about me, because I didn't go into a depression like they thought I would, but with everything that's happened to me, I've learned how to suppress emotions," I said. I looked over at him and he was glaring angrily ahead of him, his fists clenched. I frowned slightly.

"It's not fair," he said through a clenched jaw. "You never did anything to deserve all of that." I sighed and placed my hand on his shoulder. He looked down at me and I smiled up at him sadly.

"I know, but that's what makes us stronger." I know he had been talking just as much about his past as he had been mine. Suddenly, he cocked his head to the side, seeming to listen intently to something. I waited a couple seconds before I spoke. "What is it?"

"I have to go," he said, standing up and walking over to the window.

"Oh, why? And you can take the front door you know," I said, standing up too.

"I'll be fine, and Sam needs to talk to me. I'll see you around, Amber," he said before disappearing out my window. I sighed and sprawled out on my bed. My life was definitely going to be interesting here in Forks. After a couple minutes, I heard the closing of doors and the crunch of gravel as cars left our driveway.

"Amber! Come down and get something to eat," Tammy called from the stair well. I got up and headed down towards the kitchen. It smelled like someone brought macaroni and cheese. I hoped that's what it is. I could really go for some right now.

"What did they bring?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen.

"They brought some home made mac and cheese and a plate of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies," she said, looking at the dishes on the counter.

"Yum," I said, grinning. I pulled two plates from the cupboard and handed her one. There was enough food there to feed about 4 people but we managed to devour it all. Except the cookies. There were still a few of them left.

"Mmm, I haven't eaten like that since I was a little kid," Tammy said, leaning back in her chair and placed a hand on her stomach.

"Tell me about it," I said with a chuckle, putting my hands behind my back. After a couple minutes we got around to cleaning everything up and shuffled into the living room. She sprawled out on the couch and I stretched out on the lay-z-boy chair. I loved this chair. The news was playing on the TV, but nothing overly interesting was going on.

"So, how's school been, kiddo?" she asked, looking over at me.

"It's been pretty good," I said with a smile. "I've made a gorup of friends already."

"That's good to hear," she said with a grin. "I told you you'd have no problem making friends."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, sticking my tongue out at her.

"So what are you going to do for that project? Have any ideas yet?"

"I'm not sure yet. I was thinking about using that teddy bear Mom got me when I was three and some of my pictures," I said.

"That sounds like a good start. Just let me know if you need anything," she said with a smile. I nodded and grinned. Tammy always helped make my projects the best ones. We might not always have a lot of money, but she did her best to help me in any way she could. After we had a humorous discussion on how all Forks needed to be a redneck town was a lot of farm land, I decided to head for bed. Tammy agreed since she was falling asleep on the couch. We exchanged our good night's and went to our rooms. I closed my door and changed quickly. I had been thinking about putting my window fan in, but there was a nice enough breeze outside that I didn't need to. I slipped into bed and yawned. I hadn't slept this much in a while. I'm sure after things started to settle down I wouldn't need to sleep as much. Slowly, the sound of breeze outside slowly eased me to sleep.

--

_I was running as fast as I could. Everything around me a green blur. I ignored the scratches forming on my face and body from the edges of the tree branches and other greenery. I should just turn around and face the thing that was chasing me! Running only showed weakness, I argued with my conscience that was screaming at me to run as far away as I could. I could feel the person behind me. I knew they were only toying with me. I could swear more than once I could feel their breath on the back of my neck._

_"Amber," the voice purred into my ear, sending shivers through my body. I clenched my eyes shut as I pushed my protesting body to move faster. I was running to somewhere safe, but I didn't know where that was yet. I wanted to rest so bad, but I knew if I stopped they would be there. That voice sounded so familiar, though! I just couldn't put my finger on where I knew it. I heard their laughter surround me as I broke through to a clearing. I couldn't help but stop. My aching limbs refused to move any farther. My mind was screaming at me to move, but I couldn't. I needed to rest. Someone would come to my rescue soon, right? I turned around in circles, looking for my assailant. Everything was eerily quite except for the sound of my labored breathing. I had to keep moving, I decided and turned to run again. Instead, I ran right into an icy, iron grip._

_"No," I cried._

_"I've finally got you," the velvety voice said. I looked up and all I could see were two beautiful crimson eyes._

--

I bolted up, breathing heavily. I could feel the sweat on my body and it felt as if I really had been running. I looked around quickly, my heart racing in my chest. It was only a dream, I told myself.

"Only a dream," I muttered as I looked over at my clock. In bright blue letters it read 6:45. I still had an hour before I needed to get up and ready for school, but I couldn't go back to sleep. Instead, I got out of bed, grabbed some clothes and headed for the bathroom. I stripped down, throwing my clothes in the hamper, and turned the water on. I looked in the mirror and was shocked to see how ghastly pale I looked. I'm sure once I take a warm shower I'll look better. Once the water was warm enough I got in and started my routine. It wasn't until I started washing myself that I noticed something else weird. My bruises were completely gone. I pressed on my skin to see if my eyes were deceiving me, but they weren't. That outta be interesting to explain to the coach tomorrow.

I took my time, only deciding to get out when I had finally run out of warm water. I changed into my jeans and t-shirt and threw my hair up in a messy bun. I decided I looked acceptable enough and walked back to my room. 7:30 the clock read. I sighed and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Tammy had gone grocery shopping so now we were stocked up on cereals and such. I looked over them until I grabbed a box of Cocoa Puffs. They sounded good. I grabbed a bowl and the milk and fixed up my bowl. I rummaged through the silverware drawer until I found what I was looking for. I had a light up spoon that I got from a box of cereal once and I always used it when I ate cereal now. Tammy always laughed at me for it, but I didn't care. When I was done I cleaned everything up and put the stuff away. I tired to dawdle as long as I could, but I quickly got bored. Instead I headed out to my car and headed on my short journey back to school. No matter what I did though, I couldn't shake the image of those crimson eyes.

--

**Well, we learn a little more background. And what's up with this creepy stalker dream? **

**I hope I didn't disappoint anyone. **

**I'm already thinking of what kind of cool things can happen in the next one, but the big event I want to happen might take a chapter or too. I want to add it in soon, but I don't want it to seem like I'm moving too fast. **

**Unless you all would prefer that? **

**Let me know. **

**I write to please you.**

**..**

**Wow that sounded wrong.**


	9. Awkward Ease And Frustrations

**Alright, let me make some things clear before we get started. **

**First.**

**Bella _is_ dead. **

**I was thinking about maybe somehow having her come back, because it might be interesting, but I like the idea of her being dead. It makes more sense and flows better. **

**Second. **

**She is going to fall in love with Jacob's son. I wouldn't have put it in the summary if I didn't plan on including him.**

**Patience is a virtue. **

**I didn't want to add everything in immediately and overwhelm people. It would have felt funny. **

**Third. **

**I never _outright_ said it's an imprint story. It may or may not become one. An idea was presented to me and I think I might just use it. **

**Fourth.**

**All things are subject to change. **

**Who knows what will happen.**

--

I pulled into my normal parking spot and sighed as I looked around at the empty parking lot. Was it normal for me to always be so early? Instead of heading to class, I decided to listen to my radio a bit. The song that was playing was unfamiliar, but it had a decent beat. I drummed along with my thumbs on my steering wheel. That dream was really bothering me though. Not so much what happened, but more that I felt like I knew my tracker. I frowned and leaned my head against my window. I could still feel those icy arms around me. It was creepy. I glanced down at my gas gauge. I was going to need to fill up on my way back home. I decided to head in now, since more people were here, so I crammed my keys into my jacket pocket and walked off to my locker.

"Hey, Amber," came a musical voice from behind me. I stopped and turned to see it was Alice. Ugh, now what?

"Oh, hey, Alice," I said, offering her a smile. Translation, _what the hell do you want_?

"How're you?" she asked as we started walking again.

"I'm pretty good. How about you?"

"I'm good," she said, skipping besides me. Or at least that's what it looked like. "Carlisle wanted me to check up on you, see how you're doing and such. He wants you to come in for another check up sometime."

"That's really not neccessary," I told her. "I'm feeling a lot better." I was not going back to that hospital, whether they liked it or not.

"Alright, well I'll let him know later," she said. I thought she would leave after that, but she didn't. She followed me all the way to my locker. "So, what was your mother's name?" I froze mentally and I could feel my cheeks flush. They always did this when I was about to lie. Granted, they didn't before, but that was because I was ready for it.

"Jenna," I said, saying the first name that came to mind as I pulled my books out of my locker.

"Oh, that's a pretty name," she said, obviously trying to hide her disappointment. Like I actually would have told her my mother's name was Bella. I think not. Stupid vampires. Once I had my books I noticed Jasper was staring at me curiously. I flashed him a small smile but mentally I was glaring. I almost wished now that I had gained the ability to hide my emotions too. It was one thing to hide them from humans, another to hide them from emotion reading/projectiling vampires. When I started on my way to English, Alice was still following me. "Did your Mom ever tell you who your other grandparents were? The ones on your fathers side? I'm sure you'd like to find them," she asked. Why she was talking to me like we were friends, I had no idea, but I guess it was good to play along. I wouldn't get anywhere if I didn't pretend a little.

"She never mentioned them. She didn't like to talk about anything that had to deal with my father," I said. I saw her frown from the corner of my eye and grinned to myself. It had to be driving her crazy that I wasn't giving her the answers she wanted. I was kind of telling the truth. Mom really didn't like to talk about things that dealt with the Cullens, but I knew all of their stories by heart. For some odd reason I wanted to learn every little detail about them when I was little. How foolish and naive I had been back then. I always hoped that I would meet them or they would come back, but I guess my curiosity had payed off in the end. It wasn't until I hit my teen years that my hatred for Edward started.

"Do you think Tammy would know?" she asked, looking up at me with analytical topaz eyes. I really hadn't thought about this one before. I had to think quick. Tammy did know some of the stories, but I don't know what Mom told her about Carlisle and Esme.

"No, I've asked her before. Besides, if she had known we would have tried to find them a long time ago," I lied.

"Oh, well that's too bad," Alice said with a slight pout.

"Yeah, it is," I said, surprising her for a moment. "Grandparents are always those people who spoil you and let you get away with everything. I wouldn't have minded having that when I grew up." I wouldn't get anywhere if I just acted like an angry iron box. I needed to open up a little bit. Alice was probably the most dangerous to open up to, besides Edward, but she'd probably also be one of the easiest. I had always thought Jasper sounded pretty interesting too, but that would just be kind of awkward. Edward would be the hardest, but I could probably make 'friends' with Emmett too with the study hall we had together. I guess she had run out of questions, since she was being so quite.

"What would you do if you found them?" she asked after the moment of silence. I paused for a moment.

"I don't know. I'd probably try to find out more about that side of the family," I said. "After all, I've lived my whole life without a father or knowing that side of my family at all." She looked up at me with a thoughtful smile. We were getting closer to my class and I couldn't help but let out a mental cheer. That was until she hugged me.

"It was nice talking to you, Amber. I hope we can talk again soon," she said, skipping off after she hugged me. I shuddered and walked into class, crinkling my nose. I can't believe she just did that! Mom did say she was that kind of person though. I sighed and took my seat next to Brandon, scowling slightly.

"I was beginning to wonder if maybe you weren't coming," he said, turning to me. "You're always here before me." I laughed a little.

"Yeah, well, I kind of got sidetracked," I said. He grinned and nodded. We turned back to the front of the room as the teacher started his lesson. We had started To Kill A Mockingbird after having a couple days of taking it easy. He didn't want to exhaust us by the time finals came around. I had been told by my old classmates that this was a horrible book, but I wasn't a quick one to judge. We had started reading by ourselves and I was already through the second chapter when the bell rang. Yeah, I was a fast reader. I didn't think it seemed too bad though.

In History we had moved into WWII and I could honestly say just about all of us were bored out of our minds. Someone needed to teach the teacher on how to make class fun. In Math we were doing.. well.. I don't really know what, but I had written down all the notes. I'd figure it out when I got home. If not, then Luke had slid me a note with his number on it saying '_Let me know if you need some help. ; )_' I only laughed and put it in my pocket. He was a flirty kind of guy, but I didn't let it bother me. After all, living in the city made you learn how to stand up for yourself a bit. It wasn't until after math was over that I noticed I kept drawing a certain pair of eyes on my paper. I sighed and slammed it shut, heading for my locker. After I put my books away, I noticed Alice was waiting for me again. I guess the getting closer process was going to go faster than I thought.

"Hey, Amber," she said, gracefully walking to my side.

"Hello, Alice," I said, smiling down at her.

"Have you been having a good day so far?"

"Eh, I guess. It's been pretty boring," I told her. Except for the fact that I'm being haunted by two red eyes, I mumbled in my head. "How about yours?"

"Mine's been good," she said as we got into the lunch line. I noticed Edward was right in front of me. Ahh, they've got me surrounded! I peered around him and smiled. They were serving taco salads today. I had been craving one for a while.

"Hey, Amber," came Emmett's voice from behind Alice. I turned and smiled a little. Seriously, what the hell. I never got this much attention when I was new kid before.

"Hey, Emmett. What's up?"

"Waiting for Edward to get his slow ass moving so I can get some lunch," he said, grinning at the now glaring Edward. I laughed and moved forward as Edward stepped up to the cafeteria lady. Why they got school lunch everyday was beyond me. They never ate it. It'd probably be less conspicuous if they brought in their own lunch.

"I know what you mean, he's taking forever," I said, grinning. It felt so awkward to be joking around with them, but there was no better time than the present to get used to it. He looked surprised for a moment but then only frowned, took his tray and moved on. Emmett's booming laugh soon filled the kitchen.

"So, how much longer 'til you can play in Gym again?" Should I tell him? Eh, why not.

"Actually, I can play today," I said with a wide smile. I saw Emmett grin widely but Alice only looked curiously between me and Edward. I turned to grab my tray and noticed he was staring at me funny again. He must be shocked that I could play already. I was too, to be honest. Finding my bruises gone had been a very pleasant surprise.

"That's awesome. Now we can have a decent game," Emmett said. I couldn't help but chuckle. As much as I hated to say it, who couldn't get along with him? I was still pretending, of course, but it wasn't as hard. Maybe because he wasn't trying to find out all my deep dark secrets. Deciding I had had enough friendly chatter with them, I grabbed my drink and hurried to my table. I was almost half expecting Alice to sit with us, but she didn't. Instead they all picked at their food, trying to make it look like they were eating. Their lips were moving, so I figured they must be talking. Edward looked kind of frustrated. Oh well, I thought, and went back to my lunch.

I noticed then that everyone had mixed in. Taylor was sitting next to Staci, ignoring Alleysia who was sitting across from him, trying so hard to get his attention. Staci looked like she wished Alleysia would get her way, and Troy, who was sitting next to Staci, was trying his best not to glare at Taylor. Next to Alleysia was Josh, who was sitting next to Becky, and they seemed to be getting along well. I was sitting next to Troy, Jamie was in her normal spot next to me. Brandon was sitting across from me and Luke was sitting next to him. For some odd reason there seemed to be some tension between them. Derek was sitting next to Jamie, who blushed every time he talked to her. It was adorable. Then across from Derek sat Courtney with Amanda next to her. I kind of felt bad because they were on the very end, but we all managed to be able to talk. That's the one thing I had always envied about small town places. Everyone knew each other and they were all friends. Before, I was lucky to know half of my classmates.

"Hey, Amber. How are you doing with that math homework?" Luke asked, turning to me. Brandon, who had been quietly eating, seemed to be listening quite intently now, though he tried not to show it. I glanced between the two of them.

"I think I get it. I haven't really started to work on it yet," I told him before taking another bite of my food.

"Yeah, well, don't be afraid to give me a call if you need any help," he said, grinning before turning back to his food. I saw Brandon glare at him. Oh, great. Haven't even been here a full week and already people are crushing on me. I hated that. I took what little bit that was left of my food up and when I came back, Luke and Brandon were glaring at each other. I frowned, wondering what could have happened while I was gone. I sat down and leaned over to Jamie's ear.

"What happened while I was gone to get their panties in a bunch?" I whispered. I saw her smile but she only shrugged.

"I don't know. I didn't see anything," she whispered back. I leaned back up and now they were both looking between me and Jamie suspiciously. Men, I thought with a sigh. When the bell rang, I quickly grabbed my stuff and left before they could argue over who would walk me to class. Instead I almost ran into Edward who was going the other way.

"Sorry," he said, flashing me a smile before he went to move around me.

"Aren't you going to Bio?" I asked with a confused frown.

"No," he said, turning to face me now.

"Why not?" I asked, cocking a brow.

"It's healthy to ditch class now and then," he said, smiling. I knew those words. I wonder if it meant we were doing blood types in Bio? I wasn't afraid. I smirked to myself, mentally.

"Well, I'm going," I told him, waiting to see his reaction. His smile didn't falter but I saw the change of emotions in his eyes.

"I'll see you later, then," he said, softly, before turning to walk away. Score 3 for me. I walked to class, rushing in case I would be late and slipped in. I looked around and froze. There on the fron table was a bunch of stethoscopes. Now, I realized why he wasn't going. It wasn't the blood typing lab. It was the blood pressure lab. After making sure no one had seen me come in, I slipped back out of the class room and headed to my locker. I remembered the fuss it had caused last time when in Gym we had to do something like that and tell our resting heart rate and mine was much lower. The teacher even came over to check. I didn't want to go through that again.

After shoving everything in my locker, I decided to head out to my car. I really didn't know where else to go. It wasn't raining today, so I gladly rolled down my windows to let the cool breeze invade my car. I took out my keys and stuck them in the ignition, turning it enough so that the radio would play. Eh, commercials. I liked commercial, actually, just not on the radio. They were annoying. I leaned my head back against the headrest, sighing. I really wished I knew what that dream was all about. I didn't know if it was trying to show me something that's going to happen, or it was just a nightmare conjured up from everything that's been going on. If I kept having nights like these then I'll never have a night to myself.

"If you let your car run like that for too long, then your battery will die," a voice said next to my window. I jumped and turned to the side quickly. I hadn't even realized how relaxed I have become. Edward chuckled and I frowned at him a little.

"It's not very nice to scare people like that." That only made him smile a little more.

"Sorry. I thought you were going to class?" he asked, raising a brow. Crap..

"It's healthy to ditch class now and then," I said, grinning a little, hoping he wouldn't ask any questions. He only shook his head with a chuckle.

"Mind if I sit with you, since we're both skippers?" Any other girl probably would have swooned or gawked or something. Even mentally freaked out. Well, I was mentally freaking out, but for a different reason.

"Er, sure. I guess," I said, fidgeting in my seat a little. He nodded and walked around to the other side of my car. Well, this outta be interesting.. I turned down my radio as he slid into the passengers seat and closed the door. I had never needed to sit in the passenger side of my car, so I didn't know if the seat was comfortable or not. I hoped it was VERY uncomfortable. We sat in silence at first, neither of us knowing what to say or how to start. He was the first to break the silence.

"It's a beautiful day, don't you think?" he asked, staring out my windshield. I looked around, taking in the site of everything. The leaves had begun to change colors and the sky was a dull grey from the rain clouds that threatened to start pouring at any minute.

"I guess it is, in it's own gloomy, relaxing way." Fall was one of my favorite season. Spring was first, but I loved the changing colors on the trees and leaf piles and how the weather wasn't too warm, and wasn't winter cold. The only thing I didn't like about Autumn was that it meant Winter was coming. I saw him glance over at me curiously, but I pretended not to notice. Once again, silence descended on us. I could tell making conversation was just as hard for him as it was for me. It was my turn to break the silence this time though. "What's it like to live in such a large family?" I asked, turning to look at him. He seemed surprised, but seemed to like that I asked. He didn't answer right away and I assumed he was looking for the words.

"It's nice, actually. Even though we can on each others nerves, there's always someone there for you. You're never really alone, which can be a good and a bad thing, There's definitely never a boring day," he said with a smile, looking over at me. I grinned looked back out the windshield. "What's it like living in such a small family?" he asked. "After being in such a large group for so long, I can't imagine living with only one other person."

"Well," I started, "I like it just fine. You always have privacy and no one is around to constantly annoy you. I know Tammy wishes there was someone else around, some kind of father like figure. She always has, but honestly, I've always preferred it just being the two of us. When guys came around it always just made things more complicated. But, when it's only one other person, you usually never have to fight over bathroom time and there's no confusion on what is who's. Less grocery shopping, too," I said.

"Yeah, I can see how that would be nice," he said after a thoughtful pause. "But, didn't you ever want brothers or sister around?"

"Nah," I said, shaking my head. "I've heard stories of how annoying they can be. I don't think I would make a good sister anyways."

"Why do you think that?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"I just do. I'm not good with sharing, and I have a short temper sometimes," I told him. He chuckled a little.

"How long have you been living with Tammy?"

"Since I was eight."

"Really? That's a long time," he said, turning in his seat now to face me.

"Mhm. She's all I have left, really," I said, sighing. Talking to him had proved so far to be easier than I thought it would. It frightened me a little, but I never lost sight of what he was. A cold, heartless asshole.

"It must be difficult not having your Mom around anymore," he said, softly, looking at me sympathetically. He was right, it was. I missed her more than anything. I loved Tammy, and she did the best she could to raise me right, but it just wasn't the same as growing up with Mom.

"Yeah, it is," I said after a moment, "but I've come to accept it. She's always in my thoughts and in my heart, so it's not like I've lost her completely." I could see him staring at me, and I did my best to ignore it. The radio, which had been background noise, I noticed had started playing a sad song. Not really wanting to listen to it, I quickly turned the car off and shoved my keys back into my pocket. I noticed most of his questions had been focused more on my Mom than on trying to find out my father and the story behind that. I'm sure he knew everything Alice knew, but I wondered if he wasn't asking because he didn't want to think of another man having been with Mom, or if he already suspected he was my father.

"That's very insightful of you," he said, after a moment. I turned to look at him and smiled a little.

"Well, if all I did was mope about it, I wouldn't get anywhere, would I? Besides, I don't think she'd like it very much if I had." That wasn't the only time I needed to use that mentality, though. He nodded, agreeing and looked out the windshield again. Now was when I wished I could control my mind reading powers. Though, I was slightly afraid to know what he was thinking. "So, I'm not going to get in trouble with anyone for sitting here with you, am I?" He only looked at me with a confused expression. "You know, like a girlfriend or something?" I saw a flash of emotion go through his eyes, but it was gone before I could figure it out.

"No," he said, grinning slightly. I cocked a brow.

"Really? That's surprising."

"Why?" he asked, frowning.

"Well, I'd imagine a guy like you would definitely have a girlfriend. 'Specially with the way all the girls look at you," I said, shrugging a little.

"No. I had a.. girlfriend once. It didn't work out," he said, turning. It would have worked out just fine if he hadn't of left her.

"So? You're going to give up after just one try?" I asked. He paused for a moment.

"I haven't found anyone else that attracts me," he said.

"Oh. That makes sense." He looked back at me again.

"What about you? Am I going to get in trouble with anyone for sitting out here with you?" he asked with a cocked brow. I laughed a little.

"Not that I know of."

"Really? That's surprising," he said, mocking me. I crinkled my nose and glanced over at him.

"And why is that?"

"You haven't seen the way the guys look at you, have you?"

"No, and I don't want to," I said with a shudder. He chuckled.

"Most girls around here don't stay single for long."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not most girls," I said with a small grin, shrugging a little. He muttered something that sounded like 'I noticed,' but it was low enough so that I, as a '_human_', wasn't supposed to hear it. "How much time is left until Gym?" I asked, looking at his wrists to see if he had a watch. He didn't, but he quickly pulled a cell phone out of his pocket.

"About twenty minutes," he said, before putting it back in his pocket. I subconsciously thought back to my cell phone at home on my desk. I hadn't had any real reason to need to use it yet, but I probably should start carrying it around more. "Why, in a hurry?"

"No, I just don't feel like skipping two classes," I said, shifting in my seat a little more. My but was going numb from sitting still.

"I'm glad to hear you can play again," he said. Yeah, I'm sure he was. I'd would have been able to play all week if he hadn't decided to try and take me out.

"Me, too," I said, smiling.

"I would have felt worse if you had to miss much more." I raised a brow, mentally scoffing. Yeah, okay.

"Don't worry about it. Just this time, try not to run me over?" He laughed and nodded.

"I'll try not to," he said with a grin. I wonder how I would fair at baseball with them.. "What's your favorite sport?"

"Mm, I'd have to say hockey or volleyball. I'm not really a sports like person. I like to play them, but not on like a school team. Dodge ball is fun too," I said. "What about you?"

"I like baseball," he said.

"Ew, I suck at that game," I said, crinkling my nose again. "I have problems hitting the ball." He chuckled. Yeah, I may have vampire traits, but I still sucked at baseball. The times I had hit the ball was chance or because I had concentrated enough so that my vision sped up.

"You have no problem hitting a puck," he said, smiling.

"Yeah, well that's not flying at you in mid air. You can see where that's going and know you can hit it," I said, grinning. He shook his head.

"It just takes practice." I wonder if it took him practice to ruin people's lives, or if it just came naturally. The silence from before settled in, but it wasn't completely awkward. Just mostly. I almost wished I hadn't of turned the car off. The music would provide some kind of break from the quiet, but Edward was right. If I had left it on, my battery probably would have died. "So, what's it like moving from such a big city to a small town like this?"

"I've moved around a lot, so I'm kind of used to these kinds of transitions, but I miss all my friends. We still keep in touch, but it's not the same, you know? I'll never get used to how fast gossip spreads in small towns though. That, or their reluctance to change," I said, sighing. "Have you ever lived in a large city before?"

"Yes, I have, but I didn't like it as much as living in a small town," he said.

"Yeah? I think if I had to choose, I'd choose a small town," I said.

"Why's that?"

"Well, the people are nicer, and everyone knows each other. That, and crime rates are much, much lower. You don't have to fear for your life just walking down the sidewalk here."

"That's true. The woods are pretty dangerous, though," he said, his eyes shifting to the wide expanse of trees in front of the parking lot.

"Why do you say that?" He glanced back at me.

"You can get easily lost, and wild animals live out there." I nodded.

"Well, yeah.. that makes sense." Wild animals such as yourself, or even ones with red eyes. I repressed the shudder that wanted to run through me. I wondered if Alice would see something like that happening, but I wasn't about to walk up to her and say '_Hey, Alice? Would you keep an eye out for a vampire with red eyes chasing me through the forest? I'd appreciate it, thanks_.' I laughed a little to myself, and a brief smile flashed on my face.

"Where was your favorite place to live?"

"Hmm," I said, thinking. Then, Damen's face flashed in my mind and I couldn't stop the sad frown that formed on my face. "I'd have to say Los Angeles, honestly. That, or the small town in New York."

"New York to California? You really have moved around a lot. Why those two places?" he asked.

"New York is beautiful. Granted, the winter's can be too cold, but over all I loved it there. I had been to the city once, too. It wasn't what everyone made it out to be, but then I had only gone to Manhattan," I said, pausing as I felt a pain in my chest that was all too familiar. "As for Los Angeles, I had so many friends there, and so many memories. I met some of the best people there," I said, my voice going soft at the end. He frowned, noticing the difference in my tone, but decided not to pry. I wouldn't have told him anyways. I had only told Jacob because he asked. Tammy knew not to bring it up. She hated to see me depressed, and the best way to keep me out of that depression was to not bring it up. It seems this town was bringing up a lot of things I had been trying to avoid. It wasn't good. "What about you?"

"Honestly, my favorite has been here, in Forks," he said, wistfully.

"Really? Why's that?"

"I've made a lot of memories in this town that mean a lot to me," he said, sadness in his eyes. For a brief moment, I could almost sympathize with him, but he had brought his pain and sadness upon himself. He deserved every minute of his agony for what he did to Mom. I only made a soft 'mm' and looked out the window, sighing. I needed to get out and hang out with someone. I was beginning to feel weak from all the sadness and memories that had resurfaced since I had come here, and I needed to get my mind off them. Maybe I would ask Becky to go see a movie with me. We could invite the other girls and have a girls night out. Or, we could invite some guys if they'd prefer. Anything. I saw him quickly check his cell phone again. "We've got about 5 minutes. We should probably start heading in," he said. I nodded and he got out. I rolled up my window, but before I got a chance to open my door, Edward had opened it. I smiled up at him slightly, getting out of the car.

"Thanks," I said, feeling kind of awkward. It felt weird being nice to him when I hated him. It felt even weirder when he was nice to me. I wondered if it'd be easier if we just hated each other equally. He walked next to me, his hands in his pockets and I had my arms crossed over my chest. I was kind of cold and wished I had grabbed my jacket from my locker. By the time we got inside and to the Gym, the bell had rang.

"Well, I guess I'll see you on the court," he said with a slight grin. I nodded and smiled back.

"I guess you will," I said. He walked off in the direction of the lockers and I opened the door to the Gym. Now, to explain to coach that I was completely healed already..

--

**This one was crazy longer than the others, but I hoped you all enjoy it. **

**I absolutely promise that Jacob's son will be introduced in the next one. **

**How I'm going to introduce him I'm not entirely sure yet. **

**Anyways, today, the 5th of July, is my birthday. ; I'm 17!**

**Which makes me wonder, how old are you, my ever faithful, amazing readers? **

**And are there any guys out there reading my story?**


	10. One Aggrivation After Another

**Yeah, I know this one was a bit late. My bad. **

**I was kidnapped by my cousin and my net was being a douche. **

**It does that a lot, trust me. It's aggravating. **

--

I walked into the large, cool Gym, and looked around. I wanted to talk to the coach before an audience gathered. I didn't want people asking questions by how shocked the Coach would be. I sighed and headed off towards his office, since he was no where to be seen. As I got closer I heard his loud laugh.

"Alright, well I'll send her down when she gets here. Tell the misses I said hi," he said. There was a brief pause and he chuckled. "I will, you too. Bye." Click.

"Coach," I started, walking into his office, "I know it's hard to believe bu--"

"Sanders, just the person I was looking for," he said, cutting me off. "You're needed down in the nurse's office."

"What? Why?" I asked, frowning.

"I don't know. I was just told to send you down there," he said, shrugging. I sighed and turned, walking out. Now what? I hurried there, making it past the locker rooms before people had finished changing. When I finally got to the nurse's office, I opened the door and walked in cautiously, looking around. The room had a comfortable feel to it with it's light pink walls and white squishy chairs. I guessed Mrs. Rose wasn't in because there was an unfamiliar petite, brown haired lady sitting in the red haired, slightly pudgy nurse's chair.

"Uh, I was called down here?" I said, standing there kind of awkwardly when the lady looked up.

"Oh, in there," she said, indicating to the closed door in front of her. I frowned and walked over to it, opened the door and stepped in.

"Amber, it's good to see you again," said Dr. Cullen, leaning on the counter in the room. It oddly felt like I was at the doctors office, except I didn't make this appointment. I felt myself stiffen a little and I closed the door. I should have known. I wonder if Alice had told him that I wouldn't go to the hospital like he wanted me to. I suppressed the urge sneer and smiled at him.

"It's good to see you too, Dr. Cullen," I said, walking a little more into the room.

"Please, call me Carlisle. I never liked all the formalities," he said, smiling.

"Alright," I said, fidgeting a little. Just get on with it.

"So, Alice tells me you can play today?" he asked, getting up and coming a little closer now. I knew she had something to do with this! Were they all keeping tabs on me or something?!

"Yup. My bruises are all gone and I feel just fine," I said. He smiled and stepped to my side.

"Well, I hope you don't mind if I take a look," he said, giving that polite doctor smile. What I really wanted to say was no and leave, but I knew that wasn't a choice.

"Go for it," I said, shrugging. He reached up and carefully pulled down the collar of my shirt. His icy fingers felt weird against my skin. He kept that stoic face that I had always seen doctors use. I had never had a reason to go to the doctors, but Tammy liked me to go with her.

"Okay, now I'm going to apply a little pressure," he said, and pushed down gently but firmly. "Is that tender at all?" he asked, looking up at me. I shook my head and he tried a few more places. When I shot them all down he released my shirt and looked down at me with a smile. "Alright, well I guess you're good to go," he said, opening the door so I could walk out.

"Thanks," I said and left the room.

"You can head to class. I'll call down and let Coach Barns know you can play," he said, flashing me another smile before walking over to the telephone on the nurse's desk. I nodded and walked out, glad to get that done and over with. Carlisle was hard to read. I didn't mean like, reading his mind, but in general. Doctors always have that way of knowing things but can keep a straight face until they give you the verdict. I frowned and ran back to the other building since it was raining again. I didn't feel like getting soaked. When I finally got back to the Gym most of the kids had been picked. I couldn't just slip in like I had wanted since so few kids remained. Everyone turned to look at me and I smiled awkwardly.

"Amber!" Emmett said, smiling when he saw me.

"Yeah?" I asked. I didn't know if he was choosing me or if he was just happy to see me.

"No! I want her!" Martin cried, turning to Emmett with a scared, pleading look. I didn't know if he was scared for his life or pleading for him not to choose me. I saw Edward snicker from somewhere near Emmett, obviously knowing the answer.

"It's not even his turn. Martin," Coach yelled, "Don't get your panties in a bunch." I couldn't help but laugh as I walked over to his team. Martin had turned 5 different shades of red and I almost felt bad. Jasper and Alice were on Martin's team and I wondered how he managed to get them before Emmett did, but of course he'd choose Rosalie first.

The game went by without any problems and was mildly exciting. In the end the game was tied and we decided to leave it at. We weren't going to get any more hits in before the bell rang and we didn't want to race to class. I went off to my locker, grabbing my math book and notebook and headed off to Study Hall. I took the seat I had from my first day in here. Yesterday, Emmett and I had decided to trade off on who sits there what days. I sighed and opened my book to today's homework and looked it over. I honestly had no idea what I was looking at so I opened my notebook and paused. At the top of my paper was written 'And don't be afraid to call me if you need any help against him. - Brandon' with a number. I chuckled and shook my head. That explained what happened in lunch.

"Hey! Good game," Emmett said, sitting down next to me. I smiled up at him briefly before trying to decipher my work. Luke was cool and all, but I did not want to deal with a crushing guy tonight. After about 15 minutes of trying to understand it, and failing, I turned to Emmett, exasperated.

"Emmett, can you help me?" Of course he could. He's seen this stuff for years.

"What is it?" he asked, turning to me.

"I don't understand any of this," I said with a helpless whine. He laughed and moved his desk next to mine. Pretending had it's perks. He proceeded to explain it and I'm sure it made a lot more sense than what Luke would have told me. By the end of the class, I had what would have taken about 2 hours at home, done. When the bell rang I hurried off to my locker, shoved my books inside and headed to photography. I needed to get that project done by Thursday. I sat down next to Jamie and she smiled up at me. She was a really nice girl. Kind of like the Angela my Mom would tell me about. Luke sat down next to me and I mentally sighed. He wasn't becoming a golden retriever, but I needed to find a way to let him down easy. I was not interested in a relationship of any sorts. The only people in the room today were me, Jamie, Luke, and Josh. The others were either developing film or taking their pictures. I had already signed up to borrow a camera for tomorrow to take home. That way I could develop the film on Thursday. I still wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do.

"So. Amber, have you started on that Math homework? I'm sure Mrs. N will let you go to your locker to get it," Luke said, turning to me, hopeful. I felt a twinge of guilt, but there was no going back now.

"Oh, I did it last period. It was all I had left to do. Sorry, Luke," I said, and watched his face fall a little. "Maybe next time?" He smiled again and nodded.

"Sure." I sighed, wondering how long it was going to take him to take me up on that. It was weird to be in such a quiet room, and I hated it. When it's quiet you're left to your own thoughts, and that can be hazardous. At first I had been thinking back to my conversation with Edward. I was trying to dissect every little thing he did, but I only succeeded in making myself feel like an idiot. When I started getting to the end of the conversation, by brain skipped and suddenly Damen flashed in my mind again. I didn't frown this time, and I tried my best not to show anything. This place really was bad for me. I needed to find Becky, and soon.

"Are you okay?" Jamie asked quietly from beside me. Josh and Luke didn't notice. They were in a conversation about something. I wasn't sure what, since I hadn't been paying attention.

"Yeah," I said, smiling a little with a nod.

"Alright," she said, smiling back. "I'm here if you need anything." I could tell she knew something was up, but hopefully she guessed I'd talk about it when I was ready. I could see Jamie and I becoming best friends, quick. The rest of the class went by quietly and I tried to push my thoughts of Damen to the back of my mind, but instead he seemed to incorporate himself into everything, no matter what I did. When the bell rang I hurried to my car, getting in before anyone could stop and talk to me. I didn't want to be alone just yet, but I certainly didn't feel like talking to anymore vampires or infatuated boys of that sorts. I got in my car and drove off, being one of the first to leave the parking lot. I saw a couple weird stares, but I didn't care.

Now, where was this gas station. I had probably passed it everyday, but just never payed attention. I usually did pay attention to my surrounding, but I guess I had been lacking since everything around here was green. It didn't take too long to find and I happily pulled up to the pump, turned my car off, and got out. I patted my pocket absent mindedly, making sure I had my wallet on me. I had about 50 on me that was soon going to be reduced to 30. I walked around to the pump, opening the gas cap, slid the gas nozzle in and pushed down on the handle. I leaned against the side of my car, watching the numbers. I hated the smell of gas, but I loved how it looked on the pavement with the light reflecting of it. I always had a thing for colorful things. I let off the handle and gave it a couple more squeezes until the numbers reached 20. I put the nozzle back in the holder and closed the gas cap, pushing the cover down. I walked into the small store and looked around. It looked like a nice place, and was well equipped with plenty of junk food and drinks. There was about 4 guys that looked like the obviously lived down in La Push walking around. I wondered why they were up here. I walked over to the cashier who was a kind looking middle aged man with greying brown hair and blackish brown eyes.

" Twenty in gas," I told him and I pulled my wallet out and fished the 20 bill out. He nodded and smiled to me, punching something into the cash register. I handed him the bill and he opened the money box, slid it in, then gave me my receipt.

"Here you go. Have a good day."

"You too," I said with a polite smile. I turned around and almost ran right into one of the guys. They seemed to have everything they needed.

"Hey there, sugar," said the man I knocked into. He was taller than me, standing about 6ft with darkish russet skin and hazel eyes. He wasn't scrawny, but he also wasn't very muscular. Any beauty he might have held though, was gone after those words had come out of his mouth. I felt my eye twitch as I glared up at him.

"What did you call me?" I asked, my voice low. I absolutely hated 90 percent of pet names, including that one. Babe or baby was first on the list. He grinned and cocked a brow and I heard a couple snickers from behind him.

"Hard of hearing, babe?" I felt my eye twitch again and clenched my fists. Oh was I so about ready to kick his ass. He didn't even know me. I hated men like him.

"Look at her eye," one of the boys said, laughing and my glare immediately snapped to him. He shut up pretty quick after that.

"What's wrong?" the main man said, grinning down at me.

"Is there a problem?" the cashier asked, watching us cautiously. I sneered at the man in front of me.

"No, there's not. I don't associate with assholes like these," I said, walking out of the store quickly. That was the last thing I needed to deal with. Before I made it to my car, the man from before was calling after me.

"Wait! I want to talk to you," he said, gaining on me. I huffed and whirled around and he had to hurry to stop or else he would have run me over. "Well, we seem to be getting closer and closer, huh?" he said, grinning. I pursed my lips, clenching my jaw. If he just followed me to patronize me some more I would kick him. Literally. "So, what's your name, sugar?"

"Why do YOU want to know?" I asked, sneering, taking a step back. He only took a step forward. I could feel that kick coming on REAL soon.

"When I see a pretty girl I just have to know their name," he said. I leaned away from him a little.

"Well, I guess it just sucks to be you," I said firmly, glaring.

"Aww, don't be like that. I don't mean any harm," he said, pouting. Despite the fact that at the moment I hated his guts, I couldn't help but admit he looked a little cute. He must have noticed my face softened a little or something, because he smiled a little. "Is it working? No one can resist my charm for long." I clenched my teeth together. Forget that, he was a hideous monster that needed to crawl back into his hole. Suddenly though, I decided to play along. I let myself relax and smiled up at him.

"You're right," I said, leaning back up again. He seemed surprised but only grinned.

"See? I told you. So what's your name?" I leaned forward, closer to him and I saw the excitement in his eyes.

"My name is.." I started, biting my bottom lip a little, looking up at him flirtatiously. Then, before he could react I slammed my heel into his foot and shoved him, hard. "Is none of your damn business," I finished, glaring down at him before I turned and got into my car, driving away quickly. I saw all his friends come out and start laughing at him and he seemed to be grinning too. Gah! I seriously could not stand him right now. I almost wanted to turn around and try to run him over, but I decided that wouldn't be a good idea.

I drove home quickly before they could follow me and sighed once I reached the safety of my bedroom. I was too angry to do anything productive, so instead I hooked up all of my playsation cords, put in one of my favorite games, Champions of Norrath, climbed up onto my bed, and proceeded to leave a path of carnage behind my Dark Elf. They were my favorite character. I wished my best friend, Tara, had been here with me. It was one of our past times to play this game together. I kicked plenty of ass for both of us. Tammy had decided tonight would be a fend for yourself night, so when dinner came around, I quickly made a sandwich and then locked myself into my room again.

I was so caught up in my game that I didn't even realize how long I had been playing and the next thing I knew, light was streaming through my curtains. I glanced over at my clock to see it was 6:45. I quickly saved and grabbed some clothes from my closet and headed to the bathroom. There was no way I was going to go to school without a shower after staying up all night like that. After I had my shower, put my hair up, brushed my teeth, and got dressed, I felt absolutely amazing. All the anger built up from yesterday was just about gone and I felt totally refreshed. I was still going to ask Becky if she wanted to get some people to go and watch a movie this weekend though. Video games can only do so much.

I grabbed my cell and headed to school, and as usual, I was one of the first there. The shiny volvo wasn't even here yet. With my good mood though, I don't even think they could ruin it. Not even the rain pouring overhead could either. I quickly got my books, headed to English, and hummed to myself the whole way. That was the first time in a while that I had been able to stay up all night. It felt good to be able to do that again. I wasn't even the slightest bit tired. I went to my normal seat and opened to a random page in my spare notebook and started doodling on the page. By the time people had started coming in the doodle had turned into a big, strong looking tree.

"Wow, that's beautiful," Brandon said, leaning over his desk to look at my drawing. I grinned a little and admired what I had drawn.

"It's just a doodle. The best one so far. I usually can't draw," I said, laughing. He grinned and shook his head. I was glad Brandon wasn't as persistent as Luke. I wasn't even sure Brandon liked me like that, but it didn't seem like a huge impossibility. Today we were reading again, and I got another 2 chapters done. I really liked the book so far, which was odd. I usually never liked books outside of my paranormal romance novels or Harry Potter.

In History I presented the movie idea to Becky and it seemed she liked it a lot. She'd talk to some of the other girls and see what they thought and then she'd get back to me. If no one else liked the idea then she'd gladly just go with me. I was glad she liked the idea. I needed to go see what else was around here anyways. In Math we were working in pairs and Luke gladly claimed me as his partner before anyone else could. He was pretty good at this stuff and helped me when I needed it. When Lunch rolled around I was anxious to see what Becky had gathered. I sniffed at the air as I got closer to the line. Lunch smelled funny, but I wasn't sure what it was just yet. I stepped behind a shorter girl and looked around the people in front of her. Looked like chicken parmesan or something. I wasn't sure. Looked edible at least.

"Hey! Amber," Becky called as she slid in behind me. "I talked to the girls, they're game. They think we should invite the guys too. Do you want to ask them or do you want me to?" she asked, smiling down to me excitedly.

"You can," I said, smiling.

"Alright," she nodded and we talked about what movie we wanted to see. So far the main choice was going to be a horror. We got our trays and sat down, waiting for everyone. This sandwich thing wasn't too bad, I decided, half through with it when the rest of the group sat down. "Hey, guys, are you doing anything this weekend?" Becky asked, looking around at the boys.

"No."

"Not really."

"Don't think so."

"Good, who wants to go see a movie with us girls?" she asked before taking another bite. I saw something flash through just about every guys eyes and Becky did too. She sure did know how to work them. They all agreed, smiling.

"There's thirteen of us," Derek said after visibly counting heads. "Who's carpooling?"

"Well, I can borrow the van. That holds 7," Becky said, looking around. "That leaves six."

"I have my car. We could probably squeeze four people in the back seat if we need to," I said.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to get in trouble or anything," Becky said, looking at me with a frown.

"I've got a van too," Derek said, glancing over at us. "I can take the other six. That way you can save on gas money, Amber." I smiled and nodded. That was sweet of him to take that into consideration. I knew he was thinking of how I was still new and all. While I finished up my lunch they all debated on what movie to see. So far it was either comedy/romance or horror. I liked both, but my vote at the moment was for horror. We took our trays up. noticing the bell was just about to ring, and hurried to our next classes. I wished the week would go faster. Saturday seemed to far away. As long as nothing devastating happened this week, I'd be able to concentrate on the trip and maybe finally get some peace of mind.

--

**The movie trip outta be interesting, don't you think? : o**

**Maybe a scary movie. **

**I personally love horror movies. **

**What about you guys?**

**I know it's not as long as the last one, but I can't always spit out 5,000+ word stories without them getting probably a little boring. D: **

**That or they'd turn into 2 chapters in one.**

**That's a lot to read. **

**Unless you'd prefer them that way? **


	11. Coping And Accidents

**Okay, I know this took forever, and you're all probably ready to kill me. **

**I've been busy with babysitting lately, though.**

**That, and whenever I seemed to be getting somewhere something would happen and mess up what I wrote. **

**First, I _KNOW_ I had saved and then when I opened it, what I had added wasn't there. **

**Second, I got quite a ways, power died.**

**Third, same as above. **

**Fourth, AGAIN.**

**So, after that I'd just type a sentence and save.**

**I know it's not exactly like two chapters long, but it's longer than Chapter 9, which was one of the longest.**

**Anyways, enjoy.**

--

I sighed and plopped down into my seat next to Edward. What movies were playing anyways? Now that I thought about it, I don't normally watch TV so I really had no idea. I'll have to look some up when I get home. It'd probably be good to check my emails too before anyone thinks I'm ignoring them.

"Hello, Amber," Edward said, turning his chair to face me a little. He didn't sit as far away now, but he was obviously still wary of me. Not that I blamed him.

"Hello, Edward," I said, smiling towards him. I was in too much of a good mood to not be nice today. It wasn't a 'oh my gosh you're the coolest' but more of 'hey, I can stand you today' kind of thing.

"How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fantastic, how are you?"

"I'm well," he said, grinning a little.

"That's good," I said, kicking my heel against the leg of my chair. As class started I mentally groaned a little. I hated notes, but they couldn't put too much of a damper on my high spirits. When we finished notes he gave us an assignment that we were to work on our partners with. I pulled out my notebook, quickly wrote a heading and noticed Edward had brought his chair a little closer. His book was between us so I closed mine and angled myself so I could see the book clearly. "So, how do you want to do this?" I asked. He looked up at me with a cocked brow.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, do you want to switch between questions? Or we could do it ourselves and compare answers? Or call it as we go?" I asked. He obviously hadn't thought there were that many options.

"How about we switch?" he asked after a moment.

"Sounds good to me," I said, nodding. "You can do the first one." He glanced at me breifly, shaking his head a little before he read the first question. It really didn't really take us a long time to finish. There were a couple of disagreements on answers and of course, he was always right, which was very frustrating. We were always done before anyone else, but the assignment had actually been pretty long so there was only about 10 minutes left to class.

"So, you guys are going to see a movie this weekend?" he asked, turning to me again. I noticed he hadn't bothered to move his chair yet.

"Yeah," I said slowly, frowning a little.

"I overheard when I was walking by," he explained and I formed a silent 'o' and nodded.

"Yeah, we are. It'll be fun, hopefully. Any movies that you'd recommend?" I asked, hopefully.

"Sorry, no," he said, shaking his head.

"Damn," I muttered. He smiled a little.

"I'm sure it'll be easier to decide when you get there." I nodded and sighed, glancing around. It was humorous to see the exasperated looks on some of my classmates faces. I wondered briefly what we would be doing in Gym next period. I wasn't too worried. I was good at just about all sports. As the teacher told us that anyone who was not done had to do the rest for homework, I saw many of them give up early and close their books. I chuckled and gathered my stuff together and left when the bell finally rang. I headed to my locker, crammed my stuff in my locker and headed off to Gym. Once I entered the large Gym I cursed under my breath a little.

"Shit, I forgot my clothes again today," I muttered, pulling my cell from my pocket. I flipped it open and quickly went to my calendar, putting an entry in for tomorrow morning to remind me about Gym and set my favorite ringer for alarms. It reminded me of like a Bug's Life in Mexico though or something. I loved it. I always thought of bugs with big sombreros and those colorful clothing. Granted, I hated bugs, but that was the only time I didn't mind thinking about them.

"You've got a cellphone?" I glanced up to see Becky walking over to me.

"Yup yup," I said, smiling a little.

"Can I see it?" she asked.

"Sure," I said, handing it too her. Soon others from our group had crowded around and my cell was passed around. I wondered how many numbers I'd get out of this. When I finally got it back I started to go through the contact list but the Coach came in and I had to put it away.

"Today we're starting volleyball," Coach said, a volleyball resting between his arm and hip, a clip board in the other hand. I had to stop myself from laughing at the sight. "Now, all you sissies should know the rules. If it hits the ceiling, it's out. If it hits the floor, it's out. If it hits the net on a serve, it's out. I personally don't care how you get the ball over as long as you hit it with your hands. You all should know how to switch spots by now. Emmett, Reeve, go get the volleyball equipment out of the closet." I could see why he picked Reeve. He definitely wasn't a scrawny guy, but he wasn't quite as big as Emmett. All I could think of though when I heard his name was the cat off of FF7, Cait Sith. **(A/N : For those of you who don't know what FF means, it's Final Fantasy.)**Soon, with the Coach's help, they had everything set up in about 5 minutes. "Jasper, Julia, pick teams," Coach said, while making marks on his clipboard. I assumed it was for attendance. I recognized Julia from Math class, I think. She was about average height with dirty blond hair and light brown eyes. She was pretty, but just seemed overall like a snob from what I had seen. She made a 'hmph' noise, but walked up in front of anyone anyways.

"You can pick first," Jasper said politely. She scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest, glancing around.

"Emmett," she said with an 'in-your-face' grin. Emmett was frowning a little but still went to stand behind her. I wondered if was tired of getting picked first? Or, if maybe she liked him or something? Didn't really matter to me.

"Alright, Alice," Jasper said, and she quickly joined him. Of course he'd pick her. Julia seemed to be debating between the last two vamp-- really good players. My previous suspicion was confirmed a little when she picked Edward and they both seemed to frown a little. I laughed to myself and waited for the rest of the picks. Now that the normals had been picked, no one cared who was really on their team. In the end, I was on Jasper's team with Derek being the only other human I knew.

I loved volley ball for mainly one thing. Hilarious mess-ups. The first one was with a boy named Bobby. When he served, he slapped the ball. The first time it flew right into the back of the head of the kid in front of him, causing everyone to laugh even harder, but he got it over the second time. Second, Julia got pegged in the face with the ball by Rosalie. That was absolutely great to watch, and much deserved. Finally, when it had been my turn to serve, Luke screamed penis in the quiet gym right before I hit the ball and made me lose concentration, causing the ball to fly into the side of Martin's head. I clapped my hands over my mouth, trying not to laugh but I just couldn't. I felt bad a little when his face turned at least 4 shades of red. Of course, our team won in the end. I saw Brandon making a funny 'grr' face at me and I only stuck my tongue out at him. He laughed and headed for the locker room while I went off to my locker. After I grabbed my History book and notebook, I headed off to my Study Hall. The teacher nodded to me as I came in and I smiled back to him politely. I sat down in 'my seat', opened my book, and got to work. I didn't have much to do, luckily.

"Any more troubling Math homework?" Emmett asked as he sat down next to me. I smiled a little and glanced up at him, shaking my head. I had everything done in about 15 minutes and closed my book, looking around. I noticed a small group of girls had slowly gotten closer to us. They were all whispering and giggling and stuff, looking back towards us. I leaned over to Emmett with a frown.

"Do they normally sit this close?" I whispered. He glanced between me and the group with an amused look on his face.

"Nope," he said with a grin. I sat back up and noticed several of the girls were glaring at me, Julia amongst them. Oh god, I must have broken some sacred code. After a couple minutes, Julia got up and started to walk towards us, her group giggling again.

"Excuse me," she said and stopped right in between Emmett and me. A small smile started to form on my face as I leaned back a bit. She didn't seem to notice though. I definitely wanted to see what was going on. "Hey, Emmett. How are you?"

"I'm fine," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's good," she said and smiled at him, then looked around briefly before turning to me. "Amber, right?" I nodded and her smile had turned fake. "Do you think you could go away? I need to talk to Emmett, and I need your seat," she said, making a shooing motion with her hands. Oh god.. she didn't. I looked around quickly, resisting the urge to laugh.

"Julia, right?" I asked and she nodded. "I do believe there is a free seat right there," I said with a fake, sweet smile, indicating to the one in front of Emmett. Her smile dropped a little, making her expression even more snobbish.

"Look, I need to have a private conversation with him. So, leave?" she said, obviously thinking I would. I grinned a little and shook my head.

"If you want a private conversation with him, then you shouldn't do it in school." I glanced over to Emmett to see he was smiling, obviously wanting to see a bitch fight. Julia looked at me disgusted and flicked her hair behind her shoulder.

"Listen, whore, you may think you can have any guy in this school, but you can't. So get over yourself," she said with a triumphant glare. I burst out laughing and she frowned, looking confused. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Wait, wait, let me get this straight. You think I want Emmett? You need to get some brains. I just moved here, I don't want anyone. I'm truly sorry if you're not getting the attention you need," I said in a fake, sweet, babying voice. She scoffed and looked even more pissed. "And on top of that, if you haven't realized, Emmett has a girlfriend who makes you look hideous. But, if you don't believe me, then, by all mean, be my guest," I said indication to the grinning Emmett. She sneered at me before turning to him with her fake sweet smile again.

"Sorry, you had to see that. Some people are just jealous," she said, shooting another glare at me. I resisted the urge to laugh again. "Would you go to the Halloween Dance with me next week?" She obviously believed what I said by the added batting of eyelashes.

"No, I don't think I will," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Why?" she asked with a confused frown.

"Well, as you have already been informed, I have a gorgeous girlfriend who makes you look hideous," he said with a grin. She made an angry noise and glared between the two of us. I heard some snickers and looked around to see most of the class was watching us. Seeing that it was hopeless, she decided to stomp off back to her glaring group. I couldn't help but start laughing again.

"I'm glad that's taken care of," Emmett said with a grin.

"Do you get that a lot?" I asked.

"Sometimes, though I should be good for the rest of the year once that story gets around," he said, looking satisfied. I chuckled a little and shook my head. Slowly though, something clicked in my head. Halloween.. Dance.. 'You haven't seen the way the guys look at you, have you?' Edward's voice rang through my head. Nooo, I thought with a mental whine. I knew of at least one guy that was going to ask me. I hated rejecting people. I like to make everyone happy, but I won't make myself uncomfortable. I liked to go to dances alone. I didn't like to go with other people. It always made me feel tied down and I liked to mingle and dance with who I wanted. I turned to Emmett.

"Do you guys even plan on going?" I asked, leaning my chin onto my hand. He shrugged a little.

"I'm not sure yet. We might. That could be good entertainment and a chance to scare people," he said, grinning. I smirked and looked away again. It bothered me how comfortable I could be with them while others couldn't be. I knew I was half their kind, but I hated them. I knew that this was to my advantage, and I should use it, but I still couldn't shake the weird feeling that it brought me. I'd never forget what they did, and I certainly wasn't about to forgive them. Soon, the bell rang and I quickly went to my locker, on the lookout for any boys that might stop me to ask me to the dance, such as Luke. Class would be awkward enough. Maybe I'd get lucky and he would forget or he actually doesn't like me at all like that and has already asked someone. I shoved my books in my locker and then headed to the photography room.

"Ahh, Amber. There you are. Here's the camera you'll be using," Mrs. Nillava said when I walked in. I walked up to her desk and she showed me how to work it and all that other cool stuff. I thanked her and then sat down next to Jamie, thinking over my project. I wasn't sure where I wanted to take the picture yet, but I definitely had a lot to play with.

"Hey, Amber," Luke said, sliding into the seat next to me.

"Hello, Luke," I said, glancing over at him.

"Do you have any ideas yet for a movie to watch?" he asked, leaning onto the edge of our desks. Jamie turned towards us a little, obviously wanting to get her say in as well.

"No idea, to be honest," I said with a laugh. He grinned and I guessed he had hoped that would be my answer.

"Well, I definitely say horror. There's some good ones playing," he said, excited.

"Oh? I love horror movies," I said with a grin and turned to Jamie. "What about you? What do you prefer?" She seemed surprised at first that I asked but thought about it.

"It really doesn't matter to me," she said, softly. "I like all movies. I'll go with the majority."

"Alright. I say we just decide when we get there. Make it a surprise," I said with a grin.

"Sounds good to me. Who do you plan on going with?" he asked.

"I don't know. Probably with whoever shows up at my house."

"Does anyone even know where you live?" Jamie asked, frowning slightly.

"That is a very good question," I said with a laugh. "I'll talk to Becky later and we'll think of a seating chart or something. Or just who's going with who. She knows where everyone is better than me."

"Oh, okay," Luke said, with a thoughtful look on his face. We should make a girl car and a boy car and crush their hopes and dreams, I thought with a smile. The rest of class went by pretty quietly, which was weird since just about everyone was in class today. I guess they all wanted to get their homework done instead. When the bell rang I hurried out to my car, anxious to get this project done while I still had good light. Once I got home, I saw that Tammy wasn't home. I made my inside and walked to the kitchen to check our note spot.

'Gone out for a while. I'll be home late. Make yourself some dinner. Don't worry about me.'

I wondered where she went, but I was just glad she wasn't cooped up in here all the time. I shrugged and hurried up to my room. I sighed and walked to my closet, opening the door and reaching up to the top shelf, grabbing the dark blue teddy bear. I smiled and cradled it to my torso. It was still just as soft as I remembered it. It had stars and moons stitched into it that once glowed in the dark. I wasn't sure if they still did. This had been the teddy bear Mom gave me, and I had always taken the best care of it. Then, I shuffled to my bed and pulled out my notebook. I let the pictures slide out into my free hand and sighed. I wanted to bad to include Mom's picture, but I wasn't ready to tell them yet. Not even close. The teddy bear would have to be enough for now. I sat down and rummaged through them until I pulled out a picture of Tammy looking her best and set it down with the teddy bear. I put the rest of the pictures back and shoved the notebook back.

I sat for a moment, thinking of what else to add. This wouldn't be enough. I got up and walked over to my dresser, opening one of the lower drawers. I rummaged through it until I found the folded, worn lookng paper I was looking for. I slowly closed the drawer and sat down, leaning my back against the hard wood. I sighed and slowly opened the paper, careful not to tear it. I ran my eyes over the paper, seeing the tear stains from when I used this as a comfort through my hard times. This was one of the last things I had to remind myself of him, of Damen. He had written this note for our almost 2 year anniversary.

I stood up and walked over to my bed again, pushing my emotions down and refusing to read the note right now. I looked around, pondering how to set this up. I grabbed the teddy bear, setting it at the edge of the bed, near the window. Next, I placed the note in front of it, so that it leaned back against the torso of the bear. Then, I placed the picture so it leaned against part of the paper and the leg of the bear. (A/N : If this sounds confusing, let me know and I can draw it on paint to give you a general idea.) Once I was satisfied, I grabbed the picture and crouched down and got to work. By the time I was finished it was almost dark. I put everything back, except the teddy bear and headed downstairs.

It was 7:30 and she still wasn't home yet. I guess she really was going to be late. I walked to the fridge and opened the door, peering inside. We were well stocked, but I wasn't sure if there was anything in there I wanted to eat. I used my other hand to open the freezer, and saw some hot pockets. I grabbed the one out of the box and closed the doors. I quickly unwrapped it and threw it in the microwave. While that was going, I walked into the living room and turned on our TV. I really wanted some music, but there was nothing on the normal 'music' channels, so I skipped to the Sirius channels we got with our satellite that I'm surprised worked. I chose one at random and smiled, knowing the song that was playing. I sang along and danced my way back into the kitchen. I grabbed a glass of water to go with my hot pocket when it was done and sat in my recliner as I ate.

It felt nice to have the house to myself for now. I needed to stock up on alone time now so, that when we went to the movies, I'd be in a good, personable mood. I could feel the numb yet bitter feeling fill me up, though. My emotions were really being tested lately. The Cullens were one thing. Bringing up Damen was a total different area. Even though I had only talked about him once, it was enough to break my pathetic defense against his memories. I did my best to enjoy the music as I ate slowly. I had to start working on that barrier again, and quick. I knew what would happen if I didn't. I would turn into a hollow shell and walk around like I was on auto pilot or something. When I was done, I took care of my dishes, turned off the TV, and headed upstairs.

I walked into my room and plopped down in front of my computer, turning it on. I was long overdue on checking my emails and such. I waited slowly for it to load, then entered my password when it asked. I wasn't afraid of anyone getting into it, or Tammy trying to look through my stuff. I just had it like that, just in case. Once everything loaded, I opened up IE and headed straight for myspace. It had stolen my soul, just like it had countless others. I had new comments, messages, and friend requests. I checked the friend requests first. First was someone from the area I used to live in who I didn't know. Second was one of my friends who had finally caved in and made one. Two others were bands, and then another friend. I accepted them all, not feeling picky today.

Next, I went to messages. Man, I had a lot. The first one I checked was from Tara. It was long and packed full of all kinds of random info and advice and 'I'll miss you, I already do'. It made me smile. She always had the ability to cheer me up no matter what. I emailed her back, giving her descriptions of the school and the area and told her what had been going on in school. I had told her about the stories before and she wasn't sure what to think. It seemed like I had written a novel once I was done, but I knew she'd appreciate it. The others were my friends sending their best wishes and everything like that. I emailed all of them back, reassuring them I didn't need them to come rescue me just yet. The rest of the comment consisted of the same thing. After I did all of that I changed all my status' and updated my profile. I had managed to kill about and hour and a half somehow. I didn't feel like signing on IM at the moment so I shut my computer down and changed into my pajama's.

I walked over to my movie, popped in a movie, then crawled into bed. I was mad that my happy high from this morning was so short lived, but I needed to get these emotions out somehow. Granted, this way was risky. I would either become an emotional sap for a while, or mellow out so I wasn't just a time bomb. I was going to make myself cry. Not the think about sad things, but watch this movie, and cry. I was going to watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. For some reason unknown to me, everytime I watch this movie, I cry when they bring Cedric back. Not when he dies, but when Harry brings him back. It's not just a few tears here and there either. I cry. I watch this movie alone for just that reason. I grabbed my remote, pressed play, then got comfortable.

When the movie was finishing up, I heard Tammy pull into the driveway. I'm glad she got home after the waterworks. I wiped what was rest of my tears from my eyes and turned my TV off, and turned over. I yawned loudly and it didn't take long until I surrendered to my tear induced sleep.

"Amber," a voice called. I groaned, struggling to stay in the comfortable darkness. "Amber, hunny. Wake up," the voice said again. Tammy, I thought with a pout.

"Nooo," I groaned, shaking my head and curling into my pillows.

"You have to. You have school," she said, laughing. I felt her sit on the edge of my bed. Maybe I should have started that movie earlier. I was going to be grumpy for the rest of the day. I attempted to open my eyes and turned towards her. I heard the rain hammering against the windows and I sighed in aggravation. Rainfall had been light lately, but I knew it was too good to last.

"I don't wanna go," I said, letting my head drop.

"I know, but the week's almost over, and you need to get that film developed," she said. I was confused for a moment until I realized she meant the camera on my dresser from photography. I groaned in defeat and wiped at my eyes. Tammy got up and started to leave. "Don't even think about going back to sleep," she said as she started downstairs. I groaned and unwillingly pulled myself from bed. I glanced at the clock and saw it was already 10 minutes after when I normally left.

"Great," I muttered, then hurried to get dressed. I simply threw up my hair, grabbed the camera and headed downstairs.

"Have a good day," Tammy called from the kitchen while I was putting on my shoes and jacket.

"Mhm. You too," I called back then opened the door and bolted to my car. I was half soaked by the time I had gotten into my car and I set the camera on the passenger seat, making sure no water had gotten into it. I turned on the car, set the windshield wipers to high, and then pulled out of the driveway. I didn't drive as fast as I normally would since I wasn't used to driving through so much rain, but better safe than sorry, I figured. By the time I had gotten to school the parking lot was filled, and people were running inside. I parked and decided to leave the camera in the car for now so I wouldn't risk getting water in it. I got out, and started running for the door.

Before I made it, three things happened at once. First I heard the screech of tires that froze my body. Second was a loud NO that started ringing through my head, but it wasn't my voice. Third was the feeling of something large crashing into my body. Everything happened so quickly. I could feel my leg pinned between something, and was very aware of the ache I felt all over from the impact of falling to the ground. Then, the screaming started. I wasn't the one screaming, I was too shocked. I heard the splashes of people running over to us.

"Oh my god!"

"What happened?"

"Did you see that?"

"Why the hell would he be driving that fast?!"

"Are they okay?"

_God dammit. What is it with this girl?_, a voice in my head said. I frowned at that one. It sounded familiar.

"Amber? Amber, can you hear me?" a velvety voice said near me. I started to push myself up, ignoring the pain it caused. My head was throbbing. I tried to move my leg, but then pain shot through my body, causing me to cry out. "Oh no you don't. You stay right down there," the voice said. I looked up to see Edward crouched down next to me with several other people gathered around.

"But it's so cold and wet," I complained, trying to move again. I saw him grin a little.

"We need to move this bike," someone said.

"Someone help him get up."

"Shouldn't we wait for someone?"

"What's going on out he-- Oh my. Someone help me move this bike."

I groaned with a bit of a frown. They should have done that first. I was not enjoying this. Soon I heard the scrape of metal and my leg was free. Unfortunately, no one had thought to secure my leg and it fell straight down partly on my other leg and the pavement. I gritted my teeth as another painful noise escaped me.

"Someone call an ambulance," I heard a teacher say. I tried to sit up again and this time Edward helped me.

"Get them inside," someone instructed. Edward put one of my arms around his shoulders and put one of his around my waist. I tensed up, resisting the urge to sneer. Why did he have to be the one to help me? I relaxed quickly when I started to hurt again and sighed in angry defeat. He helped me hobble into the office since the nurse's office was too far away. Once I got inside, we were bombarded with questions.

"Amber, are you okay?"

"What happened?"

"Didn't you see? She obviously got hit by that bike." I grinned at that one. Edward led me over to one of the chairs carefully. I glanced around, looking for the driver. I found him pretty quick. He was sitting across the room from me looking pretty beat up. Any sympathy I would have had was gone when I realized who he was. The guy from the gas station.

"YOU!?" I spat angrily, and everyone, including him looked over at me surprised. The room went quiet and I saw the recognition click in his eyes as the widened.

"Oh my god. You're that girl!" he said, starting to smile. I saw Edward looking a little confused and I glared even harder at the man.

"Why the HELL are you smiling?" I yelled, fuming. That only made him smile a little more.

"Still as feisty, eh? Sorry, I'm just happy to finally know your name, Amber," he said with a wink. I couldn't believe he could joke around at a time like this. I started to say something but he cut me off, looking apologetic now. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Am I okay? AM I OKAY?! You just tried to KILL me," I said, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "No, I am NOT OKAY." He winced a little and I saw Edward start to grin. Glad he's getting a kick out of this, I grumbled to myself.

"You two know each other?" someone from the crowd said. They sounded familiar but I couldn't see who it was.

"Oh, yeah. We know each other very well, don't we babe?" the guy said, winking at me. I felt like I was going to explode. This guy was REALLY pushing my buttons now.

"I don't fuckin' think so," I said, glaring at him. He pouted a little.

"Oh, c'mon. You know I was only kidding."

"If it wasn't for the fact that I can't walk right now, I would come over there and kick your ass," I growled. This only seemed to amuse him some more. I gripped onto the arms of my chair tightly, trying to calm down. Everyone seemed to shocked to say anything.

_He looks familiar_, a voice pondered in my head. Who the hell_ is_ that?! I've never had this happen so frequently.

"How's your head?" Edward asked, looking down at me.

"It hurts. He's not making it any better," I snapped quietly, then paused. Wait a second..

"You seem to be getting beat up a lot here," he said, slightly amused. Oh my god..

"Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous," I grumbled. He chuckled. It was _HIS _voice I was hearing. I glanced up at him quickly, shocked. I didn't want to know what he was thinking. I glanced towards the door as I heard the ambulance's pull in. Edward helped me up again and led me out with the unnamed man who hit me.

"What's her condition?" one of the medics asked Edward as he started to help me onto the stretcher.

"I think she has a broken leg and she hit her head pretty bad," he said, as they made notes on their clipboard. My stretcher was hoisted up into the ambulance and on the way over they cleaned out my cuts and bandaged over them. They took off my now soaked jacket, though it didn't matter. I was completely soaked. When I finally reached the hospital I saw Carlisle there waiting.

"You're starting to become a regular here," he said with a slight grin as they wheeled me around.

"Yeah. Can I have my own room too?" I said and he chuckled. When they were finished with everything I was left to wait in a little cubby surrounded with curtains. I sighed and shifted carefully to get comfortable in the bed.

"Hey, Amber?" a voice said next to me. Great, I still couldn't get rid of him.

"What?" I asked, aggrivated.

"You're sexy when you're angry," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"You're SO lucky I can't get up right now."

"And combined with how you were wet. No wonder all the guys were panting over you," he said.

"SO LUCK-- Wait, what?" I asked, confused by his last remark.

"Oh? You must not be very observant," he said, satisfied. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. How did he know how to get under my skin so easily?

"Adrian?" I heard Carlisle say in the room over.

"That's me, doc," Adrian said. So that's his name.

"You seem to be okay. Nothings broken, you just got a few scratches. Just take it easy for a couple days and you should be fine," he said.

"Awesome. So, I'm allowed to leave now?"

"Yes, you are. Your Dad is out in the waiting room."

"Sweet," he said and I heard the crinkling of sheets as he got up. He peeked around the corner of the curtain and I looked up at him. "Until next time," he said and winked. He left before I could shoot back a nasty comment.

"Alright, you, on the other hand, are not as fortunate as him," Carlisle said, moving past the curtain to my makeshift room.

"What's the damage?"

"You have a fractured leg. You won't get a cast or anything, but we will give you a brace. It shouldn't take too long to heal," he said, walking up to my side. I groaned.

"Am I going to have to sit out of Gym again?"

"What are you playing?"

"Volleyball," I said, looking up at him with a hopeful expression. He frowned a little.

"I guess you can play. Just be careful, okay?" I nodded and sat up. He brought over a brace and put it on me carefully, showing me how to do it. "Your aunt is out in the waiting room," he told me as he helped me up.

"Thanks, Carlisle." He nodded to me with a polite smile and I limped my way to the waiting room. When I got there, I was not expecting to see half the school there. As I hobbled into the room, Tammy quickly wrapped her arms around me in a bone crushing hug.

"Are you okay?! What did the doctor say? Oh, Amber," she said, rocking me a little and patting over my hair.

"Tammy.. can't.. breathe," I choked out and she quickly let go, but kept her hands on my shoulder. I breathed in deeply and smiled up at her. "I'm fine, just a fracture in my leg," I told her, indicating to the brace. "He even said I could still play in Gym." She looked like she was ready to argue, but then some of my group came up.

"Amber! I'm so glad to hear you're okay," Becky said, hugging me. I wasn't used to so much physical contact with people in one day. After reassuring them I was fine and this weekend was still on (and Tammy approved), I was finally able to go home. Before I left though, I told the principal about the camera in my car and asked him to give it to Mrs. N. He agreed and said someone would send my car home after I gave him my keys. Tammy wouldn't let me go back to school and insisted I stay downstairs today. The good part about her not letting me do anything was that I could get whatever I wanted. Thankfully, though, it had been my left leg so I could still drive. After lunch, though, Tammy was heading out with some friends. She was going to cancel, but I insisted she went. I was big girl. I needed to get used to this. She left, reluctantly, because I was glad to not have her hovering over me. I was still exhausted from not getting enough sleep, so instead of getting up and hobbling all over, I snuggled into my recliner and took a nap.

--

**So, how was it? ;D**

**Got some action in there, oh yeah. **

**Let me know what you think. **

**And you don't have to hold back. **

**Shower me in love. I don't mind. **

**Haha. **

**Kidding. **

**Some criticism is appreciated too, so you know.**

**12 is on the way. **

**I want to try and get 12 and 13 done before I leave for two weeks on the 31st.**

**Oh, and if there's anyone reading this who doesn't have an account and you want to give me feedback, you can.**

**I have it set so anonymous people can send me reviews as well. **


	12. Unexpected Discoveries

**In response to Kylie : Yeah, something like that. Lol. I was drinking vanilla coke and trying to think of a name and that was the best one. Not overly creative, but it worked at the time. : )**

**Are you all surprised? **

**This one was pretty quick. **

**I worked on it all last night. **

--

_Knock._

_Knock._

I groaned, stirring a little.

_Knock._

"Amber?" I sighed and sat up, getting out of my chair quickly.

"Come in," I said. I started to walk towards the door, but I had gotten up to quick and the blood rushed to my head. I swayed a little, reaching out towards the wall to try and steady myself. Whoever was at the door was now there steadying me and I saw Alice out of the corner of my eye.

"You should take it easy," she said, holding onto my arms.

"Yeah, I probably should," I said with a small smile. Once she was sure that I wasn't going to fall, she released me.

"We brought your car back," she said, and I looked out the open door to see my car and a silver volvo filled with anxious looking Cullens. What was their problem?

"Oh, thanks. How did you know where I lived?" I asked with a frown. This could be problematic.

"The office told us. We're the closest so I figured it'd be smarter for us to drop off your car."

"Oh, that makes sense," I said, nodding. She handed me the keys and looked around a bit. How did she know she was closer? That was a bit suspicious to me.

"You have a nice house," she said, and I smiled. Then, something occurred to me. I glanced around quickly, and mentally sighed. Tammy hadn't put up any pictures of Mom.

"Thanks. I'll let Tammy know that you think so," I said. After that realization had hit me, I was very anxious for her to leave so she didn't see something that would maybe uncover my secret. She looked around a little more, before she turned back to me and hugged me.

"I'll see you tomorrow in school," she said and then walked back out to the Volvo, closing my door behind her. I hate it when she does that, I thought, not stopping my sneer now. Once I knew they were gone, I started to go upstairs. Before I got very far, there was a loud knock at my door. I groaned and started to limp back down the few steps I had taken.

"Come in," I called in a slightly aggravated voice. When I got into the living room again I saw Jacob and Sam standing there, looking around. "What are you doing here?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips. I saw them both glance at my brace.

"You're the one who got hit?" Sam asked. I nodded and I saw Jacob frown.

"Why were they here?" Jacob asked. He never was one for small talk. I paused for a moment, wondering what he meant before I realized he meant the Cullen's.

"Oh, them. They came to drop my car off," I said. "Why?"

"They're awfully close to crossing the border lines here. Your house is in the No Man's land of our treaty," Sam explained. My lips formed a silent oh as I nodded a little. That explained why they looked anxious earlier.

"Does he know yet?" Jacob asked after a slight moment of silence.

"Nope," I said, slightly popping the p. "Well, I haven't told any of them, at least. I don't know if they have their own suspicions." He seemed thoughtful for a moment, but Sam interrupted him.

"We have to be going. We were out on patrol and we picked up their scent, so we decided to check it out," he said.

"Alright, have fun." He nodded a little and started to leave. Jacob waved a little and followed suit. "Let's try this again," I muttered and started up the stairs again. I actually made it this time. Once I got to my room, I carefully took off the brace and then stripped down. I hadn't realized just how cold I was. I was still in my clothes from earlier. I grabbed a clean, non wet pair of underwear, a bra, and then a pair of shorts and a tank top. Once I carefully put all of that and the brace on, I slid under the covers of my bed with a shiver. I grabbed my remote and turned my TV on, channel surfing until I found something decent to watch.

I couldn't concentrate though. My mind kept wandering. First, to the Cullens. How come they seemed to accept me so easily? I wonder if they're doing the same thing I'm doing. I needed to pick up on my pranks a little more. I wasn't in the mood to be downright nasty to him yet. Obviously he didn't have Alice watching me or else he probably would have tried to prevent what happened today ahead of time. I wonder who would slip up first. Me or them. I'm personally hoping that when I tell him who I am it could be a double surprise, because I'll know what he is. What all of them are. However, my mind strayed from them.

I found myself thinking of _that guy_, Adrian. The thought of him made me angry again, but, for some odd reason, I couldn't get him out of my head. That cocky bastard. He's not going to like me when he sees me again. I'm going to give him a swift kick to the knee.. or something. He deserves much worse, though. I hope he totaled his bike or something, that way he can't endanger my life or anyone else's with that thing again. If only he'd become mute, too. I snickered a little at the thought of him suffering before my cellphone started going off. I groaned and quickly got up, reached for pants, and pulled my phone out. It was Becky.

"Hello?" I asked after I flipped it open.

"Hey! How are you feeling?" she asked as I went to lay back down on my bed.

"My headache's gone. Now if only my leg would stop hurting," I said, getting comfy.

"Yeah. I hope it does too."

"Thanks. What's up?"

"Nothing, really. I was just calling about the movies on Saturday. Do you have an idea on what you want to see yet?"

"No. I figured we'd decide when we get there. Make it a surprise kind of thing," I said, turning the volume to my TV down.

"That sounds like a good plan. Where do you live?" she asked. Once she had gotten a paper and pen, I rattled it off. "Alright, you'll probably be riding with Derek then since he's closer to you."

"Yeah, that makes sense. I figured we'd make lists for the vehicles soon."

"Hah, yeah. He'll probably be there around 7. We're going to eat then watch the movie."

"Sounds like a good plan to me."

"Good. Well, that's all I really called for. I'll let you get some more rest," she said.

"Alright, Becky. See you tomorrow."

"Mhm, bye!" she said cheerfully, and hung up. I closed my phone and set it down next to me. I turned to the TV, trying harder to concentrate now. It wasn't hard since it was on the comedy channel. The guy wasn't that bad. He had a couple good jokes, but nothing that made me laugh out loud really.

"Amber, I brought you some dinner," Tammy said, entering my room. I hadn't even realized she was home. She carried a plate of what appeared to be a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of fruit punch.

"Awesome," I said, smiling. I sat up and took the plate from her and she set the glass down onto my stand. She sat down on my bed, and started watching the show with me. She snickered a couple times, but it seemed she felt the same as me.

"This guy is pretty horrible," she said as a new guy came on.

"I agree," I said through my mouthful. Not one of his jokes even made me think about laughing. Most didn't even make sense, but oh well. Once I was done, and the show was done, Tammy took my dishes downstairs. I glanced over at the clock to see it was around 10. I didn't feel tired but I decided it was time to settle down anyways. I turned off my TV and turned over, grabbing my teddy bear and cuddled it to me. I wonder what Mom would think of everything that had been going on. She probably wouldn't approve of me hating the Cullens, but I couldn't not. I'm sure she understood, though, where ever she was. I wonder what they would do when they found out about me. I could see their faces now, and it made me giggle a little. I hoped tomorrow wouldn't be overly hectic. I didn't want to explain to a million people what happened, that I was okay, and that Adrian needed to get his ass kicked. I'd have to skip study hall to go down to Mrs. N's room and develop my pictures. As I pondered the day to come, I slowly fell asleep.

_I was surrounded by the threatening green maze of the forest, my legs were pumping, and my chest ached. A feeling of deja vu ran over me and I remembered this situation._

_"Amber," a voice cooed from behind me. I heard a startled scream escape me and I started running faster. I could feel he was always a half step behind me, enjoying the thrill of my fear. I could feel my body tiring, but somehow I still managed not to trip over the roots sticking up from the ground. Everything that touched me felt like his cold touch. I didn't know if I was being paranoid, or if he was toying with me. I heard him chuckle as I tried to run faster. "You're so beautiful when you're scared," the voice whispered in my ear and I felt his cold hands slide down my arms._

_"Leave me alone!" I screamed and twisted away from his hands. I heard him laugh. Just a little longer. Safety is close. My body screamed at me in agony, my muscles being pushed to their limits. Help is ahead, I just know it. The rest of me wasn't convinced, and defeat started to wash over me. I didn't even know where I was going, for God's sake! Everything looked the same. I couldn't run anymore. My body wouldn't let me take another step. I quickly grabbed onto a tree so that I didn't collapse to the ground. I looked around frantically, waiting for him to appear. I knew he was there. I closed my eyes and clung to the tree, trying to take in all the oxygen I could. Once my breathing had calmed slightly I opened my eyes and looked around again. Everything was eerily quiet and I knew I couldn't stay here any longer. I threw myself from the tree, hoping to get a jump start, but instead I threw myself right into an icy, iron trap._

_"I've finally got you," the seductive, velvet voice said triumphantly into my ear, his arms pulling my body tightly to his. I felt his teeth scrape lightly over my earlobe and I shivered. This can't be happening. His head started to go lower, but before he went any further, he hissed loudly and released me. He backed up, defensively, as a large russet wolf emerged from the woods. I almost thought it was Jacob, but something didn't match. "Does the puppy want to play?" the vampire taunted. The wolf growled loudly and launched himself at the vampire._

_"No!" I heard myself yell, though I wasn't sure why. They collided with a loud boom and then I was snapped back to reality._

I jerked awake, my heart pounding again and my leg felt like it was on fire. I layed still, letting my body wake up and my heart calm down. Who was he?! I felt like I should know, but I was missing something. I looked over at my clock and saw that it was time to get up for school. I sighed deeply and carefully got out of bed. I hobbled over to my closet and pulled out a skirt and a pretty shirt. I was not in the mood to argue with this brace and jeans. I wiggled my shorts off then slid my knee length, black skirt on then slid my tank top off and put on my 'dressy' t-shirt. I quickly brushed through my hair, deciding to leave it down today, but brought a hair tie, just in case. I could see my leg bruising slightly under the brace and frowned. I limped my way out of my room, down the stairs, and then into the kitchen.

"You're looking pretty today," Tammy commented from the table. "Special occasion?" she asked, cocking a brow.

"No, I just couldn't be bothered with pants today," I said and she seemed to understand. I made a quick bowl of cereal and ate it at the counter. I still hadn't gotten around to trying the school's breakfast yet. When I finished, I put my dishes in the sink and hobbled out to the door as quick as I could. It was awkward tying to get my sneakers on, but I managed. I went to grab for my jacket, but it was still pretty damp. I opened the door and shrugged. The rain wasn't too bad.

"Have a good day!" Tammy called.

"I'll try," I called back and carefully made my way to my car. It was a little uncomfortable trying to drive, but I made it to the parking lot in once piece. I carefully got out of my car and ignored all the stares and whispers. I groaned a little, realizing I had no pockets. Where the hell would I put my keys now? That would be way too uncomfortable to put them in my bra.

"Having an issue?" I whirled around, startled. Edward was staring down at me, grinning. He obviously found some humor in my fear.

"That was not funny," I said, frowning up at him.

"I'm sorry," he said with a laugh.

"No you're not, or else you'd stop doing it," I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You looked troubled, so I decided to see if there was anything I could do to help you," he said, cocking a brow.

"Oh," I said, tiliting my head a little. "I just realized I didn't have any pockets, so I have no place to put my keys. I would just put them in my glove compartment, but with being from the city, I'd be on edge all day thinking someone stole my car."

"Hmm," he said, nodding as I talked. "Well, I could hold them for you until the end of the day?" he asked, looking at me politely. A red flag shot up in my head and I tried my best not to look suspicious. I know Mom said he was a real gentleman, but this just seemed VERY odd to me. Anyone else would probably gladly accept, but I was too biased. He looked at me expectantly, and I knew if I refused it would just raise more questions. Damn him and his sneaky ways.

"Really? Thanks," I said with a forced smile. I put the keys into his outstretched hands, making sure not to make contact. I'd had enough physical contact with him yesterday to last me a lifetime.

"Of course. I'll be here to give them back when school is over," he said, putting the keys into his pocket.

"Alright," I said with a nod, and started walking towards the school. I guess I wasn't getting rid of him yet since he was still at my side.

"So, are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah, kind of. I slept wrong or something so when I woke up my leg was hurting," I said. It must have been funny to the onlooker to see me limping, but they'd have to deal.

"Oh? That's unfortunate. I hope it doesn't bother you too much today," he said, looking down at me sympathetically.

"I'll be fine. I have a pretty good pain tolerance," I said with a nod. He smiled a little.

"Well, if you need anything, let me know," he said as we approached the lockers. "I'll see you around," he said, starting to walk away. I nodded to him with a little smile and hobbled off to my locker. I quickly put in the combination and opened the door.

"Hey, Amber. Let me carry those," I heard someone say as I was pulling books out. I looked up and saw Brandon, smiling down at me.

"You really don't have to," I said, smiling a little.

"I insist," he said. I shrugged a little and handed him my books. He balanced them with his own and waited for me patiently. I could use this to my advantage. "Are you feeling better today?"

"Eh, the rest of me feels okay. My leg has been hurting ever since this morning," I complained as we started our slow trek to class.

"Oh? Well, I hope it starts to feel better," he said, looking down at me.

"Me too," I said with a laugh. Once we made it to class, it was mostly full, but thankfully our seats were still empty.

"Shouldn't you have crutches or something?" he asked, putting my books on my desk as we sat down.

"I guess not," I said with a shrug. "Dr. Cullen told me I'd be fine soon." He looked at me skeptically, but before he could say anything else, the teacher started his lesson. The day didn't go as fast as I wished it would. I had way too much on my mind between the Cullens, my dream, and Adrian. He wouldn't get out of my mind and it was really starting to annoy me. He had forced his way into my system, and next time I saw him I was going to accuse him of mental rape. Well, I would if that didn't mean that I would be admitting to thinking of him. It didn't help that I had to explain over and over and over again to people how I knew him and that I was okay.

Thankfully in Bio class the teacher made it so we were too busy to talk. I didn't feel like talking to Edward, and I was glad his voice seemed to be out of my head for now. Once Study Hall rolled around, I had went down to Mrs. N's room to find out she had already developed my film for me. Instead of going back to class, I decided to stay there and pick my favorite one. She had complimented me on my skills and we both agreed on which one was best. She let me stay there once I was done, and I took the time to get my homework from my locker and work on it with what time was left. After having people carry around my books all day I as actually kind of thankful to be able to put them back myself. I didn't like feeling too babied and it felt weird to be walking around school without books in my arms.

When it had finally gotten around to class time, it was interesting to see everyones photos. I figured we'd have to explain our pictures, but I was glad we didn't. I didn't want to deal with explaining every little detail. I was surprised though, since in my last class we'd have to explain every little detail. It seemed everyone else felt the same way I did until she passed out a piece of paper. I heard some groans but I just laughed a little. I knew it was too good to be true. Well, at least we didn't have to explain orally. I quietly filled out the form, slowly getting anxious for tomorrow. I couldn't wait to hang out with everyone. I hoped the movie we picked wasn't going to suck too bad. At the end of class we all handed in our pictures with our paper, and left. I headed out to my car and if Edward wasn't there like he said, I'd very angry. He was there, though, leaning against his Volvo that he'd moved next to my car.

"I told you I'd be here," he said with a smile, holding my keys out.

"Thanks," I said, taking the keys with a little smile.

"Amber! I missed you in Study Hall today. Where were you?" Emmett asked after he had rolled down the window of the back seat.

"Sorry, Emmett, I had to finish my photography project since I couldn't yesterday," I said, leaning down a little. Alice was in the front seat, humming along with the song on the radio. Jasper was on the other side of the car, looking around in a uninterested fashion. Rosalie was in the middle, slightly tense, but when she looked up to meet my gaze briefly, I saw what seemed like a small bit of respect buried beneath the unapproval.

"That's alright. I take it your feeling better. You're not limping anymore," he said, smiling up at me. It seemed no one else had noticed until then either, and 4 sets of curious eyes looked at me, trying to be inconspicuous. I felt a small streak of fear run through me. I hadn't even noticed that my leg didn't hurt at all. I was half expecting relaxing waves to run through me, but it seemed Jasper was going to see how this one played out.

_I hadn't even noticed.. _My eyes snapped up to meet Edward's scrutinizing glare, and he seemed shocked. _Did she..?_

"Yeah, I do feel better," I said a little too quickly, looking down at Emmett. "I guess it wasn't as bad as we all thought it was." I got several skeptic looks, but before anyone could say anything I opened my car door. "Well, I've got to get going," I said, sliding into my car. "I'll see you guys Monday."

"Alright. Bye, Amber," Emmett said, waving. Who is she? I heard Edward say in my head. Guess I hadn't lost him yet. I didn't understand though why I was able to hear him so frequently now. I glanced at him one last time, then quickly drove off. This was bad. I knew I healed quickly, but I had never dealt with broken bones before. I hadn't even thought about this! I had to find a way to keep them from guessing. How long should it normally take for these things to heal? I didn't know. I was going to have to fake it or something. Maybe they would think it was still fractured if I had the brace on. Well, it didn't seem that anyone else besides them noticed, so I'd just have to make sure to limp around for a while.

I pulled into my driveway and hurried into the house, not bothering to limp for now. There was no sense in pretending in front of Tammy. She'd find out on her own eventually, but she was used to my quick healing. Besides, she didn't know what kind of fracture. I think my friend had mentioned something about a hairline fracture once. That didn't take to long to heal, if I remember right. I wondered if everyone would buy it.

"Amber! Dr. Cullen just called," Tammy said, walking into the living room from the kitchen. "He said he wants you to come in right now. He said he had something important to discuss with you." I stood there, giving her a 'are you kidding me?' look, still halfway through the door. "Do you want me to go with you?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"No, I'll be fine. I just wasn't expecting him to call me back so quick. Uh, I'll be home later then," I said, going back outside.

"Alright. Don't be out too long," she said as I closed the door. What did he want now? I got in my car, turned it on, and started off towards the hospital. It was probably just routine hospital stuff, nothing major. I wasn't worried. When I finally got to the hospital I saw that the same nurse as before was still there.

"Hey, hun. Are you feeling better?" she asked when I walked in.

"Yeah, I am," I told her with a smile. "Dr. Cullen wanted to see me?"

"Oh, yes. Just go down to his office," she said, pointing down the hall before going back to her papers. I sighed and followed the path that Alice had went the last time. It didn't take long to find it. I knocked, peeking my head around the slightly ajar door.

"Come in, Amber," Carlisle said with a smile when he saw me. "Close the door, too."

"Alright," I said and closed the door before I sat down in the same chair as before.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, leaning forward on his desk a bit.

"I'm feeling fine, actually," I said, leaning back into my chair.

"That's good. How about your leg?"

"A lot better," I said, smiling to him.

"I thought it might," he said, nodding a little. I felt my eyes narrow against my better judgement. "Which, about that. You don't need to pretend. Take off the brace and just say I looked at the x-ray wrong."

"What do you mean?" I asked, straightening up a little.

"I finally received your medical records from Los Angeles," he said, pulling a folder out in front of him.

"Okay?" I started, but then something clicked. Medical records.. Birth certificate. I felt the blood drain from my face as Carlisle watched me, obviously waiting for that, or some other reaction. No.. I didn't even factor that little problem into all of this. He knows! He'll tell Edward! I felt my hands gripping onto the edge of my chair a little too hard, but I couldn't relax. Everything was blown. I wanted to be the one to tell them. How was I going to face them Monday?

"I know who you are, Amber," he said, still watching me intently.

"You do?" I asked in a quiet, high pitched voice.

"Yes, but more specifically, I don't know why you are," he said, standing up. "Your birth certificate only listed Bella's name, no father. At first I wondered if she had went to Jacob since Edward left her. I wouldn't have blamed her. The boy loved her so deeply. That would help explain the fast healing, but that would only be true if you were a werewolf. You don't smell like one, so obviously that was out, along with the obvious reasons. Neither of them had green eyes, and you're too pale to be Jacob's," he rambled, pacing back and forth in front of his desk. "That would mean you were Edward's then. That would also fit with the fast recovery, the green eyes, your pale skin, and why you smell just like a vampire right now, but that's impossible. Edward refused to do anything of that sort with Bella until they were married. Even if they had though, it's impossible for him to procreate for the obvious reasons that we both know. He's a vampire. Vampire's can't have babies," he said, turning to look at me. I couldn't believe this was happening. He was smarter than I had anticipated.

"I did some research, however," he started again, resuming his pacing. "There was a case like this once, a long, long time ago. Back before I existed. Aro might remember it. A vampire's human mate claimed to be pregnant. Of course, no one believed it was his. He didn't either at first. He was so angry with her that he almost lost his temper and killed her. She was protected by another of his coven. It didn't take him long to realize though that she was always with him, and that even if for some odd reason she did cheat on him, he would have smelt the man. No one could make any sense of it. They did tests, researched her family background and ancestry, but found nothing that could explain this phenomenon. Even to this day it hasn't been explained. I never once thought that I'd live to witness such a thing, much less have a grand-daughter," he said, turning to me with a hesitant smile.

I felt tears in my eyes and I tried so hard to hold them back, but he noticed. He looked at me, helplessly, obviously torn between wanting to comfort me and wanting to give me space. I was at a loss for words. There was no way out of this one.

"Amber?" he asked, frowning a little.

"What?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"I won't tell him. You don't have to worry about that. I believe that's your business, but I do have one request," he said, sitting on the edge of his desk. "He's gone through a lot with this. Try no--"

"HE'S gone through a lot?" I asked, incredulously, rising to my feet. He paused, looking at me shocked. "How could you say such a thing, you insensitive prick?! Did you even think for ONE minute about what I've gone through? I've gone my whole god damn life not knowing who my father was, but I still had to try and clean up his mess! I wasn't even old enough to understand, but I was there for her. Can you even understand what that can do to an eight year old?" I said, my voice breaking. "That no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, I only made it worse, because I was a reminder of HIM? I think I have every god damn right to make his life a living hell," I said, my body shaking in anger. He stared at me wide eyed, obviously not knowing what to say. "And, since you've probably already done research on what happened, can you even imagine what that did to me later when she died? When I was completely alone without either of them? That one was always a fun one to explain," I said sarcastically.

"Amber, I understand that what happened must have been hard for you," he started.

"Do you, Carlisle? Do you really? Because it sounds to me like you didn't take my side into consideration at all," I snapped.

"Well, if you'd give me a minute to talk," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine," I said, sitting back down.

"I understand that you haven't had it easy, and I agree, it's unfair, but you have to understand that as his father, I have his interests in mind first. Any parent would be that way. You don't know how hard it was for him, either. None of us even knew you existed, or else I guarantee he would have been there. Yes, you have every right to hate him, but you weren't there to see what it did to him to be away from her. You never saw the change in him when she was around, or how he changed when he had to leave."

"Had to leave?" I asked, frowning. He paused for a minute.

"It's not my place to tell you. That's something the two of you need to talk about by yourself," he said. I sighed and ran one of my hands through my hair in frustration. "Just, try not to hurt him too much with this. It's been bothering him enough just being here, but with you appearing, looking so much like your mother, it's not helping him any."

"Good," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. "He deserves everything he's going through right now for what he did to her. You're right. I wasn't around to see what it did to him, but none of you were around to see what it did to her. You'll never know," I said, standing up again. I was done with this conversation. This was too much to take in right now and I didn't need this. I wasn't going to let him ruin my weekend for me with all of this. I turned, reaching for the door, but before I got very far I felt Carlisle's cold hand wrap around my arm. I glared down at his hand, then up at him.

"I want you to know, Amber, that if you ever need to talk, about anything, I'm here for you, and when you decide to tell him too, I'm positive the rest of us will be there for you too. It's going to be hard keeping this from him, but I assure you I will do my best," he said, looking at me sincerely. I dropped my eyes, not able to stand the look in his eye. I breathed in deeply, pulled my arm from his grasp, and opened the door. I started to walk out, but then stopped to glance back at him one more time. He was still standing there, offering a small smile. I knew there was something I should say, but I just couldn't get the words out. I looked away and shook my head, before walking away from his office.

How could I have not been prepared for this? Unless Carlisle could keep good with his word, then I was done for. I wasn't ready for him to know yet. I hadn't even scratched the surface on my need for revenge, yet. I ignored everyone and their questioning looks and their friendly inquiries. I was in no mood to talk to anyone. I got into my car, and grabbed onto the steering wheel. What the hell was I supposed to do now? I'd have to go into school each day now wondering if Carlisle had told him. It wasn't until my fingers started to hurt that I realized I was gripping the steering wheel a little too hard. I sighed deeply and let go, before reaching down and tearing the brace off. I should go home, but I couldn't right now. I didn't know where to go. I needed some place to calm down. Somewhere where no one would find me.

I thought about it for a moment, then something struck me. I turned on the car, and pulled out of the hospital at a faster rate than I probably should have. I didn't care. You never saw cops on patrol around here. I really didn't know how to get there, but I had seen a picture of it. I'd find it eventually. I drove off in the opposite direction I usually went, scrutinizing every house I passed. When I found the one I was looking for I slammed on the brakes and turned into the driveway quickly. I parked and left my keys in the car. There wasn't anyone around here to try and steal my car, though I doubt anyone would. I got out and walked up to the front door, turning the handle. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. I opened the door and walked in. It was just like how she had described it, furniture and all. I walked farther into the house, looking around. Mom's pictures were up in the living room again, covered in dust. I walked over to them, picking up one towards the end and rubbed some of the dust off. It was a picture of Mom in her senior year. She was so pretty.. I sighed and set it back down, turning to see the kitchen. I walked to the entrance, glancing around. The cupboards were still yellow, just like she said.

What were you thinking, Mom? I could here her words, telling me stories about him. I sneered and turned away. I found the staircase easily enough and went upstairs. I walked down the hallway, turning to the first open door I found. Got it right the first try. I walked through the door into what was obviously Mom's room. It looked bare compared to the pictures I saw. The curtains were still the same, along with the wall color and the rocking chair, but it was obvious no one had used this room in a very long time. I looked around slowly, and then noticed in between the mattress and box spring a corner of a piece of paper peeking out. I walked over to it, curious, and carefully picked it up. I recognized the handwriting instantly. It was Mom's.

_Dear Edward,_

_I told you I was right. I was never good enough for you, and I just wished you would have realized it a long time ago. I told you not to make promises you couldn't keep. I wished you would have listened to me. I just want you to know though that, no matter what, I will always love you. You're the only man I will ever love, and I know you want me to move on, but I never will. You're the only man for me and no one else will ever be in my life again, I promise you that. What I was trying to tell you that day is well.. You won't believe this, but I'm pregnant. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I even went through 5 different pregnancy tests to make sure. All of them were different brands, too. You're the only man I've ever been with, and I hope that you believe me. Even though you left me, you know I won't be around forever, and I want you to take care of our baby when that time comes. I don't expect you to return, but I don't want our baby to grow up without you. It's not fair for her or him not to know. I know how stubborn you can be, but I know you'll find this letter soon, so it'll give you plenty of time to think about it. I know if you just give it a chance, you'll love our child as much as I do. Don't punish our child for whatever mistake it was I made._

_Love always,_

_Bella_

I felt the tears well up in my eyes as I finished the letter. Oh, Mom.. How could you put such blind faith in him? He hadn't done anything you had expected him to. Not even come back to check up on things. Why could you love such a cruel man so much? I shook my head, wiping at my tears. I folded the paper carefully and shoved it in my pocket. I was ready to go home now. Anymore of this and I would probably burst. I glanced around the room once more, breathing in deeply. I shook my head briefly and walked back down the stairs and back to my car. I was surprised Charlie hadn't found it, though I doubt he'd want to spend a lot of time in Mom's room. I pulled out of my driveway and started driving home.

I wonder how much easier things would have been if maybe he had found that note first. I wonder how my childhood would have been different if he had been around. The thought of not hating him and actually looking up to him like a father was a foreign and very unwanted feeling. I pulled into my driveway and glanced down at the clock. In bright green numbers it told me it was 5:30. I got out and walked up towards the house. Tammy should have dinner just about done. I walked through the door and kicked off my shoes.

"Amber?" she called.

"Yeah?" I called back, closing the door.

"You're just in time. Supper's ready," she said, peeking out from the kitchen.

"Alright," I said with a smile, and walked off towards the kitchen. I wonder what dinner's would have been like if he had actually been around. I took a deep, calming breath, then walked into the kitchen trying to look cheerful. Dinner went by quietly and quickly, but Tammy didn't seem suspicious. I did the dishes tonight while Tammy watched the news. Nothing interesting, again. When I finished I went up to my room and crashed on my bed, taking the note out of my pocket. I hoped tomorrow would bring better fortunes.

--

**Sorry to anyone who just got the check back message. **

**I had totally forgot to do spell check and the italics and add author notes. **

**I was in a hurry to get it up, and going through lack of sleep.**

**Forgive me? D:**


	13. Newcomers And Strange Happenings

**I told you I would try to get this one out before I left. **

**I know it's not as long as the past two, but it's still long. **

**If I went any father then it would have been way too long and there would have been lots of useless crap in there as a filler.**

**No one wants to read boring crap. D:**

--

The clock read 6:45 and I was fidgeting anxiously in my computer chair. I was in a hurry to get out of Forks and distract myself. I had been trying all day to keep busy so that way I wouldn't think about yesterday. It hadn't entirely worked, but the house was completely clean now. Tammy was surprised, but wasn't complaining. Less she had to do. I checked over my mental checklist again, for the sixth time. Wallet? Check. Cellphone? Check. Money in wallet? Check. Appearance? Check. I was all good. Five more minutes had passed and I decided I couldn't sit here any longer. I hated waiting. I got up and headed downstairs. I had already explained to Tammy about the 'x-ray' mishap and she totally understood. Freak things happened. It's not like they had me in a cast, so.

"Excited?" Tammy asked, glancing over at me slightly from the TV.

"Yeah. I wish they would get here already," I said, peeking through the curtain of one of the windows.

"Just be patient. You still have 10 minutes 'til they get here," she said.

"I know," I said, frowning. I strolled over to the couch and sat down on the very edge of the seat. I tried to concentrate on what Tammy was watching. It seemed like a sitcom of sorts. I knew if I distracted myself that time would go by quicker. It wasn't working though. After 7 long minutes of horrible, mindless jokes, I finally heard the beep I was waiting for. I shot up and raced for the door.

"Have a good time!" Tammy called and I waved before rushing out the door. I saw a dark blue mini van with Derek in the drivers seat and extra timid looking Jamie in the passengers seat. As I got closer I saw Courtney and Amanda in the middle. I wondered who was in the back. I smiled to everyone and quickly opened the door and saw Brandon sitting on the far side of the back. I hopped in, closed the door, then sat down on the other end.

"Hey, Amber," Jamie said, looking back at me.

"Hey guys," I said, reaching for my seat belt.

"We got one more person to pick up, then we're on our way," Derek said, pulling out of the driveway.

"Oh? Cool," I said, then scooted over next to Brandon. If I was in the middle then there was no use bothering with seat belts. I didn't normally wear them in the back of vans anyways, but I didn't know Derek's rules with his car. It didn't take long before we were pulling into the parking lot of a large, white house with a wrap around porch. Before Derek could beep, Luke came bounding out the house. This should be interesting, I thought, noting on the fact that the only other seat was next to me. Luke, who had just gotten into the van, seemed to notice this and was nothing more than over joyed. He even made sure to sit a little closer than was needed, too. It wasn't too awkward though, since soon the car was filled with laughter, joking, and smart comebacks. There was music for a while before the guys decided to ruin a very good song with some VERY horrible singing. When we pulled into the mall parking lot, the clock showed that two hours had passed, but it honestly didn't feel that way. We all got out of the van, walking over towards Becky's van, who was also unloading.

"Hey guys!" Becky said as we all joined together. We all exchanged hello's and started walking inside. It was dark now, and slightly chilly. I hadn't brought my coat, so I didn't want to be outside for too long.

"Hey, Amber, where's your brace?" Troy asked, and everyone turned to look at me, curiously. I felt my cheeks flush a little.

"Oh. Dr. Cullen called me yesterday and said that they looked at the x-rays wrong. It makes sense, since my leg stopped hurting yesterday," I said. They all nodded, some frowning a little. If they didn't buy it, I was blaming Carlisle. We all walked over to the theater and looked at the posters. There wasn't much in the way of horror. Most of it was action, comedy, or romance. There was one though. It had something to do with ghosts. I was kind of wary. I loved horror movies. Ghost movies, however, freaked me out. That's what the majority vote ended up being, though.

We all bought tickets for the 10 o'clock show and then split up to get food at the food court. I decided that Wendy's sounded good and ordered off the dollar menu. You got more for less. Who could resist such a thing? Since it was late at night, most of the food had been sitting out for a while, but I didn't complain too much. It wasn't like I was paying 5 or more dollars on some combo. When they were done, I took my tray with my cheeseburger and fries to the tables some of the group had pulled together. It didn't take me long to finish my food, but by the time everyone was done, we still had about 20 minutes left before we needed to get into the theater. We had no good ideas on what to do, so basically we sat around for 15 minutes talking about utter nonsense.

"Guys, let's go get our drinks and stuff," Becky said, standing up and walking off towards the concession stand. We all followed suit, having nothing better to do. I was still good from dinner, so I really didn't need much but a drink. I got the biggest one, just in case. When we all had our drinks and snacks, we gave our tickets to the guy at the booth, then walked into the semi deserted theater. There were a few groups here and there, but mostly it was just us. Naturally, we all sat up as close as we could, but not close enough to hurt our necks. I ended up between Luke and Brandon again, but I didn't mind as long as I got some arm rest and they kept their arms and hands to themselves.

Sooner than we expected the lights dimmed a little and the commercials started rolling. Personally, I love them. They were fun to watch and criticize. They seemed to last forever, but after the one about some sappy love story, the lights dimmed even more, and the movie started. I was slightly anxious, but determined not to get scared. I was doing good so far, too. It wasn't a bad movie, either. One of those about a haunted house that people died in and a group of ghost hunters came to try to see for themselves if the stories were real. It wasn't until halfway through the movie when they had one of the scary ghost faces pop up out of no where that I screamed and buried my face into Luke's shoulder. Everyone started laughing, including the other groups. I felt my cheeks flare red and was definitely glad no one could see me.

"Aww, Amber. It's okay," Luke said, trying to laugh quietly and gave me an awkward hug. It wasn't awkward in feeling, but since we were sitting in these seats it made it harder for him to hug me. The rest of the time went smoothly, with a few jumps here and there. Afterwards, though, I was jumpy and paranoid. That's why I hated ghost movies. We were all pretty tired, but we still had the energy to joke around, and mainly to pick on me. As we were walking back towards the cars, I heard a small noise through all the laughing. I paused and listened harder, trying to hear it again.

"Amber?" Staci asked, noticing I kind of stopped.

"Did you hear that?" I asked, looking at them, but still straining to hear.

"No," some of them said.

"It's not a ghost, is it?" Becky teased. I stuck my tongue out at her, but then I heard the sound again. It was quiet, but needy. I frowned and walked towards where I heard the noise. It sounded like a cat.

"Amber, what is it?" Luke asked. I held a finger up, shh'ing him quietly.

"Kitty?" I asked quietly, clicking my tongue a little.

"Meow," I heard, a little farther ahead. Once it seemed to notice someone was getting closer, it started meowing louder.

"Kitty? Where are you?" I called, crouching down and looking around, but all I saw was darkness. I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket and flipped it open, using the light to try and find the kitten. I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to it. The kitten backed up a little from the light and I lowered it a little. No wonder I couldn't see it. It was all black. "Aww! Kitty," I called, a pout forming on my face as I reached over to it. It shyed away, but I managed to pick it up before it got too far. Despite it's long fur, the poor thing was shivering and I quickly held it to my chest. It didn't struggle, but instead nuzzled into me. I had the biggest soft spots for cats, especially kittens.

"Amber, what are you doing?" someone called.

"I found a kitten!" I called, standing up and putting my cellphone back.

"Are you serious?" Alleysia said, and hurried over to me.

"It's so cute!" she said as I started to walk back.

"I know," I said, smiling and using a finger to pet at the kittens head. I wondered if there were more around, and I felt a sad pang go through my chest. I hoped they had found a home too.

"Are you going to keep that thing?" Taylor asked, frowning a little at the kitten.

"Of course I am! I'm not going to just leave it," I said.

"Let's get going guys. I'm tired," Derek said, starting off towards his car again.

"Alright," Becky said, heading to hers. We all followed our respective drivers and piled into our original seats. I didn't mind being in the middle now. They were both warm, so I wouldn't be cold. The car ride back was quiet. We were all too tired to talk, or to think of anything to talk about. The kitten fell asleep shortly after we had left the mall parking lot. I would have slept, but it just wasn't coming to me yet. I gazed blankly out the window, too tired to think about anything serious. Parts of the movie kept playing in my head, and I almost couldn't look out the window from paranoia.

Everything looked so creepy in the dark. Courtney and Amanda were asleep, and Jamie was looking out her window thoughtfully. Brandon was leaning against the window while Luke was staring out straight ahead. I settled with looking out one of the windows from the middle, so no one thought I was staring at them. I watched as everything flew by, before a thrill of fear ran through me when I swore I saw what appeared to be a vampire standing back from the road. They were gone in an instant though, and I chalked it up to nerves. I yawned loudly and shook a little, before tilting my head back onto the seat and closed my eyes. If I wasn't looking, I wouldn't see.

"Amber," I heard a voice say, my body moving a little. I didn't want to get up yet. "Amber, wake up. You're home," the voice continued, and I felt my body move again. I slowly opened my eyes to see my head had fallen onto Brandon's shoulder. It was pretty comfortable, actually, but I hoped he didn't mind.

"Mmm? Sorry," I muttered, sitting up.

"It's alright," he said, and I think I saw him smile. Luke opened the door and I was glad to see they had thought to turn the lights off first. He got out and I whined a little at the sudden coldness in my side.

"See you guys Monday," I muttered, then slid away from Brandon and attempted to get up. Luke held out a hand for me and I gladly took it, needing the extra leverage since I was still holding the kitten. His hand was warm and mine fit into his easily. I hope he hadn't realized that too. Once I was out he held on for an extra second, and I knew he had realized that, or something else. I was too tired to guess.

"Night," the awake ones called. I waved to them tiredly and then shuffled my way inside. The light in the living room was on and I assumed Tammy was still awake then. Once I got inside, the kitten was awake, but still groggy.

"Did you have a nice time?" Tammy asked as I walked in.

"Mhm," I said, leaning against the wall to kick my shoes off.

"What is that you have?" she asked, getting up now.

"It's a kitten," I said, smiling. "I found him in the parking lot, and I couldn't just leave him there," I said, giving Tammy my best, sleepy puppy dog look.

"Oh, alright," she said and held her hand out. I carefully pulled the kitten away and handed it to Tammy, but it started protesting once I let go.

"Aww, kitty. It's okay," I said, petting it's head a little. "I gotta go to sleep. I'll still be here in the morning." It looked up at me sadly and I couldn't help but pout. "Tammy, do you think you could get it some milk and a makeshift cat litter box until I can get some tomorrow? I'd do it, but I'm so tired," I said, my words slurring a little.

"Yeah, sure. I can do that," she said, smiling and trying to calm it down.

"Thank you," I said, then made my way up to my bedroom. I changed into my pajama's as quick as my tired body would let me in the dark, and then slipped into bed. It didn't take long until I was sleeping away.

Different P.O.V.

He flew through the trees, following the sent he had been searching for. He knew they were here in Forks, it was just a matter of finding them before they, or something else found him. He was surprised none of them had come after him yet, though he was sure they knew he was coming. If not from his scent, then from that one female, Alice. He had heard she could see the future. He blocked out all the scents around him, other than the one he was looking for. He had been told he would make a fairly decent tracker. Within seconds he had broke from the trees and stopped right in the middle of the Cullen's driveway. They were all lined up outside, watching him. Guess he had been right.

"Hello," he said, offering a smile as he looked over the vampires before him. When he landed on Edward, he tried his best not to glare back at him. He had heard about him, too. He was the one who could read minds. He was probably doing that right now.

"Hello, stranger," Carlisle said, walking forward. "What can we help you with?" he asked, keeping a safe, but respectful distance.

"You're the Cullens, correct?" I asked.

"Yes, we are," Carlisle said with a nod.

"I'd like to join you," he told the man. He never had been one to beat around the bush. Small talk could come later. The man looked shocked at his request, but everyone else came to join him.

"What is your name?" the lady standing closest to Carlisle asked. He assumed this was Esme.

"My name is Joshua," he said, smiling a little. Edward scrutinized him a bit, but he understood he was only looking out for his family.

"Well, Joshua, my name is Carlisle, and this is my wife, Esme," he said, indicating to the woman next to him. "Emmett and Rosalie," he indicated now to a beautiful blond and a muscular vampire next to her. "And then Jasper, Alice, and Edward," he finished, indicating to them in turn.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Joshua said with a nod.

"It's a pleasure for us, as well," Esme said, smiling, though I knew she wasn't speaking for everyone. The looks on some of their faces told me that much. Especially the blond one. For such a beautiful girl, she sure did ruin her face a lot with those frowns. Ah, well. It was none of my concern.

"So, why do you want to join us?" Carlisle asked, and started to walk back to the house, making a motion for me to follow.

"I want something different that what I do now," he said, frowning a little. "I don't like the idea of hurting innocent people anymore." He saw Carlisle glance at Edward, and Edward gave him a curt nod. He guessed he was proving that he was being serious.

"We all work as a family, and we decide as a family," he said, leading us into their large, spacious living room. "So, we have to put this to a vote."

"That makes perfect sense," Josh said, smiling. "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"I'm glad you understand," Carlisle said, returning smile. "Those in favor of letting Joshua join our coven, raise your hand," he said, putting his hand into the air. Esme, Edward, and a slightly indecisive Alice also raised their hands. He didn't question why the others hadn't raised their hands. It made perfect sense. It was their home and they had the right not to want him in it. "Well, majority says yes."

"Thank you," he said, smiling in turn to everyone, even those who hadn't raised their hand.

"Welcome to the family, Joshua," Carlisle said, patting his shoulder a little.

Amber's P.O.V.

"Mmm, kitty?" I asked groggily, trying to open my eyes. There was something wet and sand papery feeling licking my fingertips and it tickled. I glanced up at my clock and groaned. It was 12:30, but I didn't want to get out of bed. I closed my eyes again, wiggling my fingers against the kitten's fur. I needed to think of a name for him.. or her. I didn't feel like checking right now. I wanted to go back to sleep, but the kitten wouldn't let me. It kept attacking my hand and such. It didn't hurt, just tickled. I giggled and watched it play around on my bed. I was thinking Midnight for a name, since it was all black. I tiredly got out of bed and then noticed that Tammy had bought a bag of cat litter and a litter box while I was asleep. There was even a small bowl of milk on the floor.

"You're going to love it here," I told it with a smile, and then walked to my closet, grabbing some clothes. It wasn't until I turned back that I noticed the sun streaming through my windows. I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. I grinned widely and quickly changed into my clothes. When I started off down the stairs, I didn't get very far until I heard the distressed meows at the top. "Aww," I said, turning back and picked up the kitten. He looked up at me happily and I continued downstairs.

"G'morning, Amb," Tammy said as I entered the living room.

" 'Morning," I said, heading for the kitchen. I wasn't really hungry, but I wanted a bagel. I set the kitten up on my shoulder and it buried itself against my neck. I grinned and then grabbed the bag of onion bagels off the counter, grabbed one out, separated, and then shoved it into the toaster. While I waited, I grabbed the cream cheese and milk from the fridge. Then, I grabbed a knife from the drawer next to the stove, and a small, plastic bowl from the dish strainer. **(A/N : That sounds wrong for some reason. Not a pervy wrong.)** I poured some milk for the kitten, and then set him down on the counter. He gladly ran right to the dish and started drinking while I put the milk away. It wasn't too long after that that my bagel was done, and the kitten almost fell off the counter from the noise. I giggled and carefully took the bagel out, and lathered it with cream cheese.

"What are you going to name it?" Tammy asked, walking into the kitchen.

"I dunno, yet," I said, putting the cream cheese away and taking a big bite from one of the bagel halves.

"Well, it's a boy. I checked for you last night," she said, walking over to the kitten and pet it a little. I nodded, watching the kitten roam around now, finding things to get into. It had the prettiest hazelish eyes. It made me think of Adrian a little. I really wish he would just get out of my head. I didn't need him finding out then getting some kind of satisfaction from it. That was the last thing I needed right now.

"I'll think of something," I said, finishing my mouthful. I kind of liked Midnight, but I wasn't sure if that would sound more like a girl name. I kept eating my bagel as I pondered. I hated thinking up names. It was always difficult.

"Do you have anything planned today?" Tammy asked.

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"Just curious. Since it's such a nice day I figured you'd be out doing something," she said with a shrug.

"Oh. Well, now that you mention it. Maybe I'll go down to the beach or something," I said, finishing off my bagel.

"Alright. I think I'm going to go upstairs and work on one of my paintings," she said, starting to walk from the kitchen.

"Wait," I started and reached over to pick up the kitten. "Take him up and put him in my room for me?" I asked, holding him out to her.

"Okay," she said, taking the kitten with a smile. A trip to the beach sounded nice and relaxing. I walked out into the living room, slipped on my sneakers, grabbed my keys, and then headed out for my car. I breathed in the fresh air and sighed. It felt so nice to be in the warm rays of the sun again. I got in my car, rolled down my windows, and turned the radio up. Once I started the car, I drove off quickly towards La Push, singing along loudly with the radio. It didn't take too long until I was parking my car and trying to tame my wind blown hair. I got out, shoved my keys in my pocket, then headed off to the empty beach. I was glad not a lot of people were around. It made it easier for the thinking process. I strolled down the beach until I found a comfy looking piece of driftwood and sat down on it.

I stretched out on it's partly flat surface and let my mind wander back to the past couple of days. More specifically, the talk with Carlisle. I knew that I was going to have to tell Edward soon. Carlisle wouldn't be able to keep this from him forever. That meant I couldn't pull anymore pranks on him though. If Carlisle got word of it, he'd immediately think of me and then everything would be ruined. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed to talk to Carlisle. There were so many questions that I needed answers too, and he was the only one I could turn to. I wanted to know why I only smelled like a vampire then. and why no one else had noticed. I wanted to know why I didn't need blood or why my powers came and went. I wanted to know why, suddenly, I could hear Edward more. More importantly, I wanted to know more about the first half vampire baby. What happened to them? Did they age like a human, or did they stop aging after a certain point? What was going to happen to me? I sighed deeply, watching the clouds float by overhead. Why did things have to be so complicated?

"Fancy seeing you here," a familiar voice said nearby. I turned my head and saw Adrian standing a few feet from where I was, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What do you want?" I asked, glaring at him.

"I was just coming to say hi," he said, grinning.

"Hi. Now go away," I grumbled, turning from him.

"Oh, c'mon now. You don't think you're going to get rid of me that easily, do you?" he asked and I felt him walk closer.

"I was hoping," I said, sitting up now. If he was going to do anything funny, I wanted to be ready to bolt. He took it as an invitation to sit down though, and plopped down next to me.

"What? Am I not allowed to talk to you?" he asked, bringing his head closer to mine with a pout. I hated it when he did that.

"No," I said, glaring at him. He pretended to be offended and I sighed. Despite the fact that I borderline couldn't stand him, I couldn't help but fall victim to his charm.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked after he was done trying to make me feel bad.

"Yes. My leg doesn't hurt anymore," I said, looking down at it.

"Good. I really am sorry about all that," he said, looking at me sincerely. I looked up at him, trying to think of something mean or witty to say, and couldn't. His hazel eyes just kind of turned my insides to butter, which was a very bad thing. I refused to have feelings for him.

"Yeah, I know," I said, looking away.

"So, who was that guy?" he asked after a moment. I frowned and looked up at him again.

"What guy?"

"The one who helped you into the office and such," he said.

"Oh," I said, realizing he meant Edward. "That was Edward Cullen."

"Yeah? You two seem kind of close," he said, looking out towards the water now, but I could see he was still watching me. I felt my face scrunch up as I thought about what he just said. Ew.. gross, I thought, mentally gagging.

"Not in the slightest," I said, frowning. I saw his face lighten and something like hope appeared in his eyes. Oh god. Why?

"Is he an admirer or something? Or someone you like?" he asked, turning to me again. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that one.

"Oh, god, no. He is definitely not my type," I said, shaking my head and making an 'ew' face.

"What is your type then?" he asked, cocking a brow curiously. I glared at him a little.

"Not you," I said, folding my arms across my chest.

"Ouch," he said, holding his hand over his heart. "That hurt. That really, really hurt," he said, with a pout. "My pride."

"You'll get over it," I said, snickering a little. He play shoved me a little, and I frowned and shoved him back. I frowned a little more when I felt how oddly warm he was. "Are you feeling okay?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Well, now that you mention it, I am kind of feeling weird," he said, frowning.

"Do you want me to take you home or something?" I asked, getting up.

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind," he said with a smile, and got up too. We walked off to my car, and he was oddly quiet now. When we got in and I pulled away from the beach, he gave m directions to his house. I turned the music down and rolled up the windows. If he had a fever then cold air was the last thing he needed. When I pulled into the driveway he told me to go to, I saw Jacob come out the front door. What the..? "Hey, Dad," Adrian said, getting out of the car.

"Dad?" I asked, frowning and got out, too.

"Hey, Adrian, Amber," Jake said, coming off the porch.

"I wasn't feeling well, so Amber here brought me home," Adrian said, walking up to Jacob.

"He's your son?!" I asked, confused.

"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't really get a chance to tell you about all that yet," Jake said, scratching at the back of his head a bit.

"You two know each other?" Adrian asked, confused, looking between us.

"Yeah. Remember that girl I told you about from when I was younger?" Jake said. Adrian nodded, frowning. "Well, this is her daughter."

"Oh," he said, turning to look at me again.

"Yeah, but what's wrong?" Jake asked, turning to his son with a concerned look.

"I'm not sure. I just.. don't feel right," he said, frowning.

"He's really warm, like he's got a fever," I put in. It wasn't until I saw the slightly shocked look on Jake's face that it hit me. Those were the same symptoms Jake had when he transformed.. That was impossible though. The Cullens hadn't left and come back or anything weird like last time, and if any other vampires were around then the pack would have known by now. Jake looked down at his son with a slightly pained expression.

"Thank you for bringing him home, Amber," he said, reaching out and pulling me into a quick hug. I wasn't expecting it, but I didn't mind. The world needed more hugs.

"Of course," I said, hugging him back. "I hope everything goes okay," I told Adrian, and I know Jake knew what I meant.

"Thanks," Adrian said, waving a little then turned to walk into the house. Jacob followed quickly and I got in my car and started home. I didn't want to be around if he did transform. I might heal quickly, but I could still scar. What was going on? There shouldn't be any more werewolves if there weren't any extra vampires. I'd go ask Carlisle about it now if it wasn't for the fact that I wasn't sure if that's what was happening to Adrian, but I'll find out soon enough. I'm sure Jacob would keep me posted.

--

**Alright, well, as I said, I'll be gone for two weeks. I'm leaving tomorrow first thing in the morning on a plane. D:**

**Don't worry though, I'll still be working on the story. I brain stormed last night with my cousin and well.. we are geniuses. **

**I can't wait to write what we thought up, and I'm sure you'll love it too. **

**I should be back around the 15th of August. **

**Well, until then everyone!**


	14. But you're!

**How many of you are shocked to see this? : o**

**I know I am. **

**I suddenly just sat down and started writing this and tried to hurry to get it done. **

**So, yeah, it's short, and could be better, but TRUST me. **

**The next chapter when I get back is going to be long and amazing and well worth the wait. **

**I know it seems so far away, but I'll be back before you know it. **

--

I woke up early Monday morning to a loud meowing in my ear. I groaned, opening an eye to look at my new kitten groggily.

"What do you want, kitty?" I muttered, and he meowed some more. I turned over and stared intently at his food dish. My eyes were still blurry so I had to blink a few times to see it clearly. Everything looked fine, except the empty milk bowl. "Aha," I said through a yawn and rolled out of bed. I shuffled over to the bowl, grabbed it, and headed downstairs. He didn't seem to have any need to follow me now, since he knew what I was doing, and waited patiently on my bed. I made my way to the kitchen and slowly re-filled his bowl. I was too tired to move at normal pace. The kitten seemed to notice my slowness, since he was waiting for me at the top of the stairs.

"You know, the stairs aren't that hard to climb," I whispered to him, setting the bowl down on my floor when I got there. I looked over at my clock, seeing I still had a good half hour left before I should be waking up and decided to take a nice, long warm shower. Well, it wouldn't be too long, but long enough. I grabbed some clothes from my closet and headed for the bathroom. I stripped down and turned the water on. I yawned loudly and leaned against the wall, waiting for the water to warm up. I wonder how many jokes there would be about the stuff from the movie today. I laughed a little, and stuck my hand in the water. It felt warm enough, so I stepped into the tub, closed the curtain, and pulled up on the thing on the faucet. I stood there under the warm stream, letting it slowly soak me and wake my body up.

I didn't entirely feel like going to school today, but I would anyways. I didn't want anyone else thinking I was sick some more. I'd come off as a sissy. Once I was awake enough, I went through my shower routine thoroughly, making sure to cover everything. I didn't have a specific reason other than I wanted to. When I was finally done, I got out and toweled off. I should put a clock in the bathroom, I thought as I looked around, wondering what time it was. I got dressed quickly, brushed and put up my hair, and then headed for my room. I grabbed my wallet, keys, and cellphone, that told me I should leave in about 5 minutes. I hurried downstairs and into the kitchen. I needed something quick to eat. I looked around and noticed a plate of what looked like blueberry muffins. Someone must have brought them over yesterday. I grabbed one and took a bite out of it, heading to the front door now. They were actually really good. I slipped my shoes on, slid on my freshly washed coat, and headed out to my car.

I got in and sat there for a moment, finishing off the amazing muffin I was eating. When I was done I wiped off the crumbs, and started the car. I turned up the radio and started for school, singing along with the song. I turned my wiper blades on as it started to rain. I was glad I got some of yesterday's sunlight when I did. I pulled into the parking lot, and took my normal spot. It wasn't hard to keep the same spot since I got here before most of the other kids did. I got out, shoved my keys in my coat pocket, and headed for my locker.

"Hey, Amber," I heard someone say, and turned to see Luke walking up next to me.

"Hey, Luke," I replied with a smile.

"How was the rest of your weekend?" he asked as we approached my locker.

"It was fairly decent," I said, putting in my combination. "How about yours?" I asked, looking up at him as I opened my locker door.

"Mine was pretty good," he said, leaning on the locker next to me.

"That's good," I said, pulling out the books I needed.

"Hey, Amber? Can I ask you something?" he asked, and I noticed he was fidgeting a little.

"Sure," I said, closing my locker door now.

"You know the dance this Friday?" he asked, looking at me intently.

"Mhm?" I asked and started for class.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd go with me?" he asked, following me.

"Oh," I said, looking up at him with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Luke. I don't go with people to dances unless it's required."

"Oh," he said, his face dropping.

"I'll save you a dance though?" I offered.

"Alright," he said, looking considerably happier. "I'll see you around," he said, walking off to his class.

"Bye," I called after him, then kept on to English. The day went by slowly, and was so boring I thought I would go insane. The only interesting part of the day was Gym and when Becky tried to scare me. I had all my homework done, and half of the newly assigned project for History done. In Gym, Brandon heard about how I rejected Luke and asked me to save him a dance too. I even decided to go ahead in my reading for English and managed to get two more chapters down since we had a free day in Photography. I was expecting more excitement when I got home, but I was wrong. I had managed to check my emails and tidy up my room before I was bored again. I was pacing back and forth and nearly jumped out of my skin when Tammy knocked on my open door.

"You have a phone call," she said with a grin.

"You scared the crap out of me," I said with a laugh, walking over to her to take the phone. "Hello?" I asked after I brought it up to my ear.

"Hey, Amber," Jake's voice answered.

"Oh, hey Jake! What's up?" I asked, strolling over to my computer chair and plopped down. I suppressed a giggle and reached down to pick up the kitten who was attacking my feet mercilessly.

"Did you see any new leeches in school today?" he asked, and I noticed the edge in his voice. I frowned and thought back. There would have been a estrogen uproar if there had been. Or a testosterone one..

"No," I said.

"Damnit."

"Why? Did Adrian..?"

"Yeah," Jake said, and I heard the sadness in his voice.

"Oh, Jake. I'm sorry. I wish I could help," I told him, frowning.

"I know. We all wish we knew more. Adrian wasn't the only one who changed," he said softly.

"I'll keep a look out, okay? If anything changes or one does appear, I'll let you know right away," I promised.

"I'd really appreciate it," he said. "How's everything been for you?"

"Decent, I guess. Carlisle found out about me," I said warily. There was a long silence on the other line.

"How?" he asked finally.

"My medical records finally came in from Los Angeles," I said.

"I hadn't even thought about that. Does that mean the other one knows?"

"Not that I can tell, yet. Carlisle said he wouldn't tell him, and that it was my business," I said, leaning back in my chair.

"He's got that right, but what about that mind thing he does?"

"All Carlisle has to do is not think about it around Edward," I said, making the chair swivel a little. I enjoyed talking to Jacob. I know this wasn't the normal stuff that people talked about, but I didn't care. I still looked at him like a Dad and I'd gladly share almost anything with him.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense," he said, and I could picture him nodding. "Those bloodsuckers are so damn tricky."

"Dad?" I heard Adrian say in the background.

"One second," Jake replied. "Sorry, Amber. I have to go. The pack is having a meeting tonight," he told me.

"Oh, alright. I hope things go well," I told him.

"Yeah. Keep an eye out for me, okay?"

"Of course I will," I said, stopping my chair.

"Thank you, Amber. Bye," he said, sincerely.

"Anytime. Bye," I replied, then hung up once I heard the click on his end. What was going on? Maybe my dreams and everything hadn't been just dreams after all, but if a bad vampire was around they would have been taken care of by someone by now. But, if there was a new Cullen, then they would have been in school today, right? "This makes no sense," I said to the kitten in my lap, who was currently attacking the hem of my shirt.

"Amber! Dinner," Tammy called from downstairs.

"Okay," I called back and then sat the kitten back down on the floor. "I'll be back," I told him as I left. Dinner, I discovered when I walked into the kitchen, was cheeseburgers and fries. As I made my food, Tammy and I caught up a little on school, recent events, and such. I discovered that she had made good friends with the La Push werewolf women, and some who weren't and that's who she had been spending her time with. I was glad to hear that she had people to spend time with while I wasn't around and that part of her purpose for moving here had been fulfilled. Once we were done, I offered to do dishes and Tammy gladly let me. I heard her turn on the news, and that's just what I had been hoping for. I washed the dishes slowly, listening closely for anything about a weird death due to blood loss or weird "animal" attacks. I was disappointed when I heard there weren't any. I sighed once I was finished and headed back to my room. Killer, which was the name I had decided on, was waiting in my doorway, meowing at me.

"Aww, did you miss me?" I asked, reaching down to pick him up. He nuzzled at my hands and I walked over to my bed. I set him down, despite his protesting, and changed into my pajamas. The clock read about 7:45, and I wasn't too sleepy yet. I walked over to my bookcase and scanned the titles for something to read. I debated between a few, but in the end I chose Dance with the Devil, by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Granted, I had read this book before, but I felt like reading about my favorite Dark-Hunter, Zarek, again. I grabbed it and went over to my bed, plopping down carefully so that I didn't squish the kitten. I opened the book and before I knew it, I was lost in it's pages.

I noticed I was halfway through the book and my eyes were fighting to stay focused. I didn't want to stop reading yet. A loud yawn escaped me and I glanced over at the clock. I groaned, seeing that it was around 11:30. I was definitely ready for bed now. I marked my page and then set it down on my stand. I got up, turned off my light, and then crawled back into bed. It wasn't long until I slipped into a deep sleep.

"I told you I'd find you," a voice whispered into my ear.

"Go away," I pleaded. He only laughed and I felt his cool lips on my neck.

My eyes snapped open as a loud boom sounded outside. I wasn't sure what woke me up, but I wasn't sure I wanted to know what else happened in that dream. That one wasn't scary as much as it was slightly confusing and frustrating. Nobody had 'found' me. I sat up and pushed my curtain to the side a little as a bright flash of lightning lit my room.

"Well, then," I muttered and turned to face my clock. Same time that I normally woke up. I never bothered with the alarm anymore. I woke up when I was supposed to and the sound of it instantly pissed me off. Never could explain why. I pulled myself from bed and changed into the first two things I grabbed, which thankfully was just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I brushed through my hair quickly, grabbed what I needed from my room, and headed downstairs. Killer was still asleep on my bed.

"G'morning," Tammy greeted cheerfully when I walked into the kitchen. Tammy loved thunderstorms with a passion.

"Morning," I greeted back and reached for one of the muffins still on the counter.

"Aren't those amazing?" Tammy asked as I took a big bite.

"Mhm," I agreed with a nod.

"Emily made them. She's the most amazing cook, I swear. I should get her to teach me sometime," she said, with a thoughtful expression. I only chuckled and started off to the living room.

"Be careful on your way to school, today. It's been raining really hard," Tammy said.

"Alright, I will," I told her and slipped my sneakers and coat on. I finished my muffin first, then flipped up my hood and stepped outside, thankful for the porch. Once I closed the door I charged for my car. I got in quickly, surprised to see I hadn't gotten semi soaked. I took my hood down and started my car, before pulling out of the driveway. I drive a little slower to school today, though I knew I probably didn't need to.

When I reached the school, I pulled into my spot and shoved my keys into my pocket. I flipped my hood back up and then got out, hurrying to the school. I noticed this time I wasn't as fortunate and my coat was feeling damp. Oh well. I went to my locker, grabbed my books, and shoved my coat in there. On the way to English I noticed a lot of girls were in an uproar and there were little whispering groups that occasionally merged with other ones. I wondered what was going on. I walked into class and sat next to Brandon.

"What's up with all the girls today?" I whispered to Brandon and he shrugged a little.

"There's a new guy or something. I guess he's really hot," he said, mocking a girl near the end. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, I guess I'll have to see for myself," I said, and he shook his head. I didn't really care, though. I wasn't the type of girl to fawn over popular beauties. As the day went on, I noticed girls were talking about this 'Joshua' just about everywhere. Even Becky was talking about him like he was a god. When lunch rolled around I didn't see the new boy anywhere.

"I hear about this guy all day and when I get a chance to see him, he's not here?" I asked, frowning in disappointment.

"It'll be okay, Amber. He'll be in Gym," Courtney said with an evil grin. I laughed and then dug into my salad. When I headed to Bio, I watched Edward carefully. He didn't appear to be stabbing me with his eyes, so I guess it was safe to assume he didn't know yet. We had been talking more and more in Bio and I noticed he stared at me when he thought I wasn't looking. Quite frankly, it creeped me out, but I understood that he was only trying to figure me out. I wish him good luck. I noticed that I was still attuned to his thoughts, but not when I actually wanted to know what he was thinking. We were working on our own today, and I was glad. I didn't feel like deal with his inquisitiveness today.

I was excited on my way to Gym. I couldn't wait to see this guy. After I changed, I joined my group of friends and looked around. I figured he was the one surrounded my a large group of people, mostly girls, and they were all blocking my view. Even when he had gotten picked I hadn't gotten a chance to see him. I was really getting frustrated now. We had moved on to soccer and he wouldn't be surrounded forever! I was on defense today and I watched the ball closely. When it started coming down my way, I rushed to get it, and right when I went to kick, he did some fancy foot work, and evaded me, but tripped me at the same time. I fell right on my butt and I started laughing along with everyone else.

"I'm sorry," the guy said with a beautiful laugh, "Are you okay?" he asked, turning to look down at me. The smile from my face was immediately wiped away as I looked up at the not so new face in front of me. My breath caught in my throat and it felt like my heart had been severely torn in two, again. There, standing in front of me, was Damen to an exact t, except the butterscotch eyes. I took in all his features, memories racing through my head. His blackish brown hair still hung in his eyes in the same 'emo' fashion as several people had called it. His skin was now a pale white compared to the start of a tan I remembered him getting. His perfect, full lips were the same as I remembered, and I could see the comforting arms that used to hold me from his sleeveless Gym shirt. I saw something flash in his eyes, and if I had been paying attention to anyone but him, I would have noticed Jasper had too. I got up, my mouth trying to form words, but couldn't. The room was completely silent, but I didn't care. I could feel the pain tearing at me, and I longed to hold him and apologize for everything.

"D-Damen?" I whispered, and almost flinched from the pain I heard in my voice. I started to reach up to him, and I saw him stiffen. Why weren't his eyes the icy blue I had remembered? Then something in my head clicked, and several pieces of the puzzle fell into place. He was a Cullen. He had never actually died, but instead somehow became a vampire. He's the reason why there were new werewolves, and since he was with the Cullens, that's why they didn't know.

"Sorry?" he asked, with a frown, and the sound of his voice tore at me some more. Oh how I had longed to hear him again. Why didn't he remember me? Something was wrong here. I frowned as I tried to figure it out. Another piece clicked into place. His voice was the one I had been hearing in my dreams. It was him who was the mysterious, yet familiar red eyed vampire from my dreams. Yet, why were his eyes topaz then? I backed up a step, and shook my head. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes.

"It can't be," I choked. He looked at me bewildered, and no one knew what to do. I backed up some more and he reached out to me, taking a step towards me.

"Are you-- hey! Where are you going?" he called after me. I had turned and ran from the Gym. I would not cry in front of them, or him. I couldn't believe what I just saw. I felt the tears spill over as I entered the locker room, and I changed as quickly as I could before someone came after me. The hot tears on my cheeks soon mixed with the cool drops of rain as I rushed to my car. It seemed no one had come to find me yet. Seeing his face opened up a painful hole in my chest that I thought I had closed. I could feel my body shaking from my sobs, as I drove home. I was glad to see Tammy wasn't home as I pulled into the driveway. I grabbed my keys and hurried inside, closing the door behind me. I felt my body slide down the door, and no matter what I did, I couldn't stop the tears.

I had thought I would never see him again. I rocked a little as I replayed our last night over and over. My memory had done him no justice. He was beautiful beyond compare now, and what hurt worse was that he didn't even remember me! He acted like he never knew me and pain lashed through me again at this realization. How could he have forgotten what we had for two years within two months?! I sat there against the door, letting it all out until the numbness started to fill the aching holes in my chest. I reached up and wiped at my eyes. My body was still shaking slightly as I got up and walked to the kitchen. I grabbed a paper towel and blew my severely congested nose. I needed to call Jake and let him know about 'Joshua'. I cleared my throat and grabbed the phone, going through the caller ID until I found his number. I hit that talk button and waited. I fidgeted as it kept ringing, and assumed no one was home.

"Hey, Jake? I found out today that there IS a new Cullen," I said once I got the answering machine. My voice was soft, but surprisingly I didn't sound like I had just gotten done crying. "I thought I would let you know. His name is Joshua, or something. He appears to be just like them, so I'm assuming he's good. I hope this helps," I said, then hung up the phone. I walked up to my room, pushing back the tears that wanted to form again. I layed on my bed with Killer curled into my side, and the tears started again when my mind driften to Damen's face.

The rest of the week went by slowly, and painfully. I tried to put on a happy face, but something reminded me of his constantly now. I had refused to talk about what happened, and by Thursday they gave up with asking, seeing that it only put me in a sad, withdrawn mood. I felt bad for not telling them, but I didn't want to uncover everything yet. I didn't want them to think I was pushing them away, and I would tell some of them eventually.

"Are you still going to the dance tonight?" Luke asked me at lunch one day, with a hopefully expression.

"Of course," I told him with a smile. He smiled back, and so did a lot of others. I guess I hadn't really been smiling a lot lately. Edward watched me even more now, trying to figure out what caused my outbreak on Tuesday, and I wondered what 'Joshua' had told him. I avoided 'Joshua' like the plague. In Gym I would go nowhere near him, and I know he wasn't the only one who noticed. I refused to come in contact with him, at all. I decided to try being more personable by Study Hall, and turned to Emmett.

"Hey, Emmett. Are you guys going to the dance tonight?" I asked. He turned to me with a smile, but then shook his head.

"Nah. Everyone but Esme and Carlisle are going on a trip this weekend. We're leaving after school tomorrow."

"Oh? Well, that's sucky. I bet the dance would be a lot more interesting with you guys there," I said with a grin. He laughed and nodded.

"You can tell me all about it on Monday, how about that?"

"Alright," I said with a nod.

"I hope there's some good drama," Emmett said with a grin and I laughed. It felt weird to laugh, but I liked it. The rest of the day passed by pretty quick, and once school was over, I hurried home to get ready for the dance. I knew it was going to be good.

--

**So, how many of you saw that one coming? **

**Crazy, huh?**

**Alright, well, I have to leave in 5 minutes to start down to Syracuse. **

**I'll be excited to see everyones reviews when I get back!**


	15. Almost War

**Hoorah! I'm back. **

**Man, is it it good to be home. **

**I'm sure this chapter isn't as long as you all expected it to be, but a lot happens, so it's worth it. **

**Thanks to those who sent me reviews. **

**Let me clarify to the one, I went to North Carolina, not Florida. I went to visit my Dad, though it was boring as hell. **

**I would have had this up yesterday, but I missed my original flight so I had to take a later one, but that's a whole different story. **

**Oh, and to those who asked who Damen was.. **

**Not trying to be mean, but seriously? Go back and read Chapter 8(Pictures And Prophecies) and then Chapter 11(Coping And Accidents) mentions him more as well, with the picture. **

**If you ever get lost like that, the best thing to do is go back and skim at least. **

**Let's get on with this though, shall we?**

**--**

"_Oooh_, you look scary," Tammy commented as I modeled my last minute costume. "Very dark.. and such," she said, nodding with a grin.

"Good, that's what I was aiming for," I said, running my tongue over my teeth for the hundredth time. I had found my fake teeth that I had bought on a whim once in Hot Topic. I was going as, ironically, a vampire. It was the easiest last minute things to do and I had all the materials for it. Tammy had let me borrow her old black and purple renaissance dress. I had found some garnet lipstick and dark purple eyeshadow along with some black mascara and eyeliner. I was good to go. I even dragged out my old pair of boots and the black nylons I hardly wore.

"You look amazing in that dress," she said, smiling at me appreciatively. "I mean it, Amber. You should wear dressy clothes more often."

"I think not," I said with a mental gag. She only chuckled. She was used to my intense dislike for anything not casual.

"Have fun tonight," she said, coming over to hug me. I felt a little bad. I hadn't been spending as much time with Tammy as I should have been lately. I knew she had been worried about me the past couple days and it was getting to the point where she was going to start asking questions.

"I most definitely will," I told her and headed outside. I got into my car carefully and started off. Despite recent events, I was actually excited for tonight. Besides, Emmett said they wouldn't be there tonight. I pulled into the parking lot and grinned. There were a lot more people dressed up than I thought there would be. I got out and put my keys in the pouch I had attached to the side of my dress.I walked to the long line outside the Gym and got behind a brightly colored clown who was talking to a fairy of sorts.

"Hey, Amber! C'mon up here," called Becky, who was in a sexy devil lady outfit. I hurried up to her and ignored any comments directed at me.

"You're looking sexy," I said to her with a grin.

"So are you," she said, nudging me a little.

"Damn," Staci said, giving me a once over, and we all laughed. Courtney was in a bunny suit and Amanda was a sexy maid. Jamie was little red riding hood and Derek was a zombie. Josh was dressed up as the Riddler and Brandon was a sexy demon. Taylor was a dead soccer player and Alleysia was a dead cheerleader. Troy was cupid and Staci was a sexy car. The only one missing so far was Luke.

"God this line is slow," Josh complained.

"Get over it," Becky said, shoving him a little. We were almost to the door when someone in a Scream costume came up and party boy'ed us before running off. (**A/N : For those who don't know what that is.. I don't really know how to explain it but everyone knows it.)** After a moment we all started laughing.

"That was random," Taylor said, shaking his head. It didn't take long after that until we had paid and entered the Gym.

"Hey guys," said someone in an odd, high pitched voice. I turned around and burst out laughing. There was Luke in a flowery dress, a blond wig, fake boobs, and outrageous makeup.

"Oh my god," Derek said, bending over and laughing.

"What? What's so funny?" he asked, still in a girl voice.

"Hey sexy," Josh said, winking at him.

"Hey," Luke said, reaching up to twirl his fake hair with a girly giggle.

"You guys are complete idiots," Amanda said, laughing. This was definitely going to be a good night. It wasn't until I saw Joshua in a corner with Julia that my outlook started to drop. I guess Emmett forgot to mention he wasn't going with them. I tried not to let it bother me though. I just ignored them and went on anyway. The music was decent, though not what I was used to. Halfway through the dance though, I was getting bored. I had fulfilled my dance requests and it was starting to get too hot.

"Oh, look who it is," a snotty voice said behind me. I turned around and there was Julia with Joshua standing close behind her. My heart jerked, but I refused to look at him. "Looks like no one wanted you."

"Yeah, maybe you're right, except for the fact that I was asked by plenty of people. I just said no," I said, smiling at her. She scoffed and gave me a doubtful look.

"Well, I'm sure who ever asked you wasn't as amazing as Joshua here," she said, smiling and leaned back against his chest.

"I guess that's a matter of opinion, though I told him no too," I said with a shrug. Of course, I was lying through my teeth, but she was a bitch. I didn't care. If he had actually asked me, no would have been the last thing I said. She frowned, obviously upset her taunting wasn't working.

"I don't see why anyone would ask you. You look like a freak," she said, giving me a once over. I laughed and looked at her like she was crazy. At least I wasn't the one dressed up like a pink fairy princess.

"I don't know, Julia. I think she looks pretty tempting," Josh said in his velvety voice. I looked up into his hungry eyes and felt my heart start to race.

"Whatever. At least I'm not a loser and came alone," she said, looking at me with disgusted satisfaction.

"Who said she came alone?" a familiar voice said behind me, and two arms wrapped around my waist. I frowned and looked behind me to see Adrian with a sour yet protective look on his face. The sour I could understand. The protective not so much.

"There you are. I was wondering where you went," I said and leaned back against him, playing along. His chest seemed a lot broader than before and I looked over him again. He looked like he had grown into a 20 year old overnight. A very physically fit one at that. I was surprised he could be around Joshua and still be calm.

"I just went to request that song I told you I wanted to hear," he said, smiling down at me.

"Who the hell is this? He doesn't go here," Julia said, obviously looking jealous.

"This is Adrian," I said, reaching down to move his arms. It was way too hot for this portable furnace to be holding me. Besides, we still weren't on perfect terms. Instead of letting go, his hands slid up into mine, entwining his fingers with mine and held them firmly. I don't know what he was thinking, but surprisingly, it felt nice.

"You're Julia, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, seeming flattered.

"Yeah, I've heard about you. How many guys did you go through 'til you snagged this one?" he asked with a cocky grin. I pursed my lips, trying to stifle my laughter. Joshua, who looked disgusted, even had a humorous glint in his eye, but I was sure I was the only one who saw that.

"Let's go, Josh," Julia huffed, grabbing his hand and lead him off. I couldn't help but snicker as they left. When they were out of sight, I pulled my hands from Adrian's and turned to him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"To bug you, of course," he said with a smirk. "And to get a dance?" he asked with a hopeful expression as a slow song started playing.

"You totally staged this," I accused, narrowing my eyes.

"Well, maybe," he said with a grin. "Please?" He looked down at me with a pout and those beautiful hazel eyes. As much as I wanted to dislike him, I really couldn't. Not as much as I used to. I tried to resist, but I couldn't.

"Oh, fine," I muttered and he broke out into a happy grin. He grabbed my hand and led me over to one of the open windows.

"You'd die of heat stroke if I danced with you over there," he explained.

"Yeah," I said, nodding with a laugh. I placed my hands up behind his neck. He hadn't gotten so tall that I couldn't reach. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my body close to his. I was shocked at the immediate contact, but I didn't mind. I needed to let someone else in, even if as a close friend, and Adrian seemed the smartest choice. It's not that I didn't like Brandon, Luke, Jamie, Becky, and everyone else, but it was safer for them not to be as close. Of course, I'd always consider them great friends of mine, but I knew Adrian would be able to understand me in a way they couldn't.

"So, you don't know that vampire?" he asked, obviously referring to Joshua.

"Not from my mother's stories," I told him. I had no proof that he was Damen, but I knew it. I just did. He didn't seem to pick up on the double meaning though.

"Oh well. Just another one to keep our eyes on," he said, shrugging against me. I, frankly, wish I could forget he existed. I'd help as much as I could, but it was painful enough being around him. "You look beautiful tonight," he whispered into my ear after a moment.

"Thanks," I said with a grin. He was acting strange tonight and I wanted to know why. Usually it was cheap pick up lines that would piss me off. Maybe it was just that wolf thing. As the song went on I was beginning to think he requested the longest song he knew. I was glad we were by the window or else I'd be sweating to death. It was like sitting in front of an air conditioner with a really warm blanket. When the song was finally over, I could tell he was reluctant to let go.

"You should come down to the house more often. I'm sure Dad would like to see you more," he said, still standing close to me.

"Sure. I could do that. I've usually got plenty of extra time," I told him, and his eyes lit up a little. "Hey, wait right here, okay? I need to go use the little girls room."

"Alright," he said with a laugh. I wove through the dancing crowd and headed for the bathroom. I got halfway there before I saw Joshua and Julia. She seemed to be doing something close to seducing him and he was going for it. I felt my heart tear a little and I looked away as soon as possible. I hurried to the rest of the way, taking deep, calming breaths. I wondered breifly how I was supposed to pee in this dress, but I'd manage.

Once I was finished and washed my hands, I hurried out again. I frowned when I noticed Julia and Joshua were still going at it. As I got closer, he whispered something in her ear and she her lip with a nod. He took her hand and they walked off towards one of the blocked off sections. That did it. I held back the tears and started for the door. I felt bad for just leaving Adrian, but I couldn't stay here. I got in my car and started it up. Tammy would ask questions if I came home this early. I guess now was better than never to have that talk with Carlisle. I needed something to get my mind off _him_.

I pulled out of the parking lot and sped off. I had no idea where he lived, but I had plenty of time to find it. I was in no mood to stop and ask for directions, but I found it soon enough. Good eyesight definitely comes in handy. I hurried down the long driveway and parked off to the side so I wouldn't be in the way of the garage. Lights turned on and the door opened to reveal the motherly looking Esme and Carlisle close behind her. I pulled off my fake teeth then got out and started towards the house.

"Amber! To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" Carlisle asked, stepping onto his porch.

"I need to talk to you," I said, coming up the steps.

"Esme? Could you give us some time alone?" he asked.

"Of course," she said with a kind yet curious smile.

"I'll call you when we're done," he said, and embraced her. They exchanged a quick kiss and she headed for the garage. "Come in, Amber." He turned and walked inside, motioning for me to follow. I did and closed the door behind me. "What do you need to talk to me about?" he asked, sitting down in an arm chair. I sat down in another one across from him.

"I want to know more about myself," I said, fidgeting.

"I figured when you had calmed down you'd ask me about this, but I'll tell you now, my knowledge is very limited."

"What happened to the mother and baby?" I asked, deciding to start at the beginning.

"Ah, yes. Good place to start. The man turned the woman soon after she birthed the baby. The baby, who was of course a half vampire, lived off blood, just like them. From what I remember, he stopped aging after his 18th birthday."

"He? So, you don't know what it's like for girls?" I asked with a frown.

"No," he said apologetically. I sighed and processed all that.

"So, why don't I need blood?"

"I don't know, actually," he said with a frown. I guess he had wondered the same thing. I frowned and sifted through my questions before picking another one.

"At the hospital, when you said I smelled like a vampire then, what did you mean? I mean, besides the obvious," I added when he cocked a brow. "Why then and not now?"

"I think it's because you were caught off guard. Your defenses were down and you were scared and upset," he said, crossing his legs in a very doctor like manner. "I--," he started, but then frowned. "Well, they're home sooner that expected."

"Who?" I asked automatically, but it already hit me. Oh no. I tensed up, knowing there was no way to escape. Carlisle sat there patiently and I prayed he was guarding his thoughts. The door opened and in walked the rest of the Cullens, including Esme, all looking confused. Esme walked over to Carlisle while the rest of them looked at me shocked.

"What are you doing here, Amber? Looks like you dressed as one of those wannabee vamps for the dance, eh?" Emmet asked. They all came in further and sat down. I felt trapped.

"Leaving. That's what I'm doing," I said and got up, heading for the door.

"Amber," Carlisle said meaningfully.

"No," I said, but was interrupted by his phone ringing. He pulled it out and answered quickly.

"Yes?" Suddenly, his face went blank and everyone looked either angry or slightly frightened. "Okay. Thank you for calling me," he said then closed it a moment later. "They just found a girl dead, and drained of all blood," he said, clenching his jaw. I knew he only said it aloud so I could hear.

"Who?!" I asked, shocked. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jasper's head snap towards my direction.

"Julia Smith," he said and I felt myself freeze.

"Oh my god," I said and turned from them. It was him!

"The treaty," Alice said, jumping up. Suddenly, the sound of loud growling came from outside. The werewolves.. I hurried outside before anyone could stop me, and there were 7 vampires right behind me.

"Wait!" I yelled, going down the stairs. I slowed a lot at the sight of a LOT of wolves. I was in too much of a hurry to count.

"Amber!" Carlisle yelled.

"What the hell is going on?" Emmet asked.

"They think I killed her, but that's impossible," Edward said. He was answered with a loud round of snarls and growls, which was returned.

"Jake, turn back so I can talk to you," I pleaded with the largest, russet, brown eyed wolf. I hoped I had the right one. He huffed, but then walked off with a large black wold who I assumed was Sam. I waited a few moments, ignoring the intent stares from all around. I sighed in relief when they finally came back out in pants.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted you filthy bloodusckers!" Jake yelled to the vampires behind me.

"It wasn't me, you stupid mutt," Edward snapped back.

"The hell it wasn't! Your --"

"Jake! It wasn't him," I said, rushing up to him.

"What the HELL are you talking about?! His scent is all over the body!"

"Look at his eyes, Jake! Nice and butterscotchy, right?!" He glared up at him then back to me. "If he had killed Julia, his eyes would be turned red."

"Then who the hell did kill her?" he roared.

"That new one?" Sam asked, noticing he was missing.

"Yeah," I said softer now. "Except that's not his name."

"Who the hell is it then?" Jake asked.

"Damen," I said, my voice cracking a little. I could almost hear the click in his head, unless it was my bones as he pulled me into the tightest hug I've ever experienced. I managed to get my arms around him a little, but I didn't have much room. I sniffled and buried my head into his chest. Someone let out a low whine, but I was too busy trying not to cry to see who did it. I didn't know why he was doing this, or even if he truly didn't remember me, but the fact that there was good proof behind my accusation made this harder.

"How do you know?" Sam asked, looking down at me with concern. Of course, they all knew the story.

"I don't have solid proof," I said, breathing in deeply to calm myself. "But, I just know. He looks like him. Smiles like him. Moves like him, except with the whole extra gracefulness."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jake asked, pulling away now, but kept an arm around my shoulders protectively.

"Because I wasn't sure," I said, wiping at my face. "I didn't want to think about him."

"Will someone please tell us what the hell is going on?" Carlisle asked, coming down the stairs.

"Amber?" Jake asked, looking down at me. I wanted to stay here with him, but I needed some space and time to think.

"You tell them about Damen, and discuss the treaty or whatever. I'm going home," I said.

"Alright. I'll be over later, okay?" he asked, pulling me into another hug.

"Okay," I said, hugging him back and raced for my car, ignoring the confused vampires. I got in, turned it on, and got away from their house before anyone could try and stop me. If Edward didn't know before, then guaranteed he knew now. Why did everything always go wrong? I hoped Tammy was asleep as I pulled into the driveway. I turned off my car, leaving the keys in the ignition and got out. All the lights were off and it was eerily quiet. I hurried inside and up to my room. I flicked on my lights and started to undo the dress. It was complicated, but I finally managed. Killer was sleeping happily in my computer chair, so I sat on my bed and started to take my boots off. After that I removed my nylons, threw on my pajamas and headed for the bathroom.

I wondered what they were all talking about as I started to wash my fading make up off. Would everything be made right? Would they all join together again to find Damen? And what about the Cullens? Would they have to move again? How would Damen's disappearance be explained? When I was done, I headed back to my room with a sigh. That's when I noticed the piece of paper laying on my bed. I frowned and walked over to is.

_I've missed you.._

My heart stopped when I read those neatly written words. That was Damen's handwriting. I carefully picked up the folded piece of paper and opened it. He hadn't written much.

_I've taken Tammy. We're going to go see Italy._

_I hope you'll come too._

_I'm sorry, this is the only way.._

I had to remind myself to breathe as I read the letter over and over. No.. not Tammy! She had nothing to do wit hthis. Why?! Why was he taking her to the Volturi? I needed to talk to Carlisle.. I slipped on my shoes and grabbed the note along with Mom's. I had no choice but to outright tell him now. I went a fasr as I could to my car and impatiently started it and began driving back. I hoped the wolves were still there. I almost missed the turn, but I pulled into their driveway and sped down it quickly. I slammed on the brakes when the opening came up, scaring several wolves, and jumped out, not bothering to turn it off.

"Amber?" Jake asked, concerned I ran up the stairs to Carlisle, too panicked for tears.

"He's got Tammy, Carlisle!" I said, my body shaking.

"What?" he asked, frowned.

"Tammy!" I yelled, thrusting Damen's note at him. He read it quickly, his eyes widening. A calm feeling started to wash over me, and I whirled around. "Stop that," I snapped angrily at Jasper. He seemed honestly shocked and the others frowned.

"What's going on, Amber?!" Jake asked asked, walking closer.

"Damen took Tammy to the Volturi!" I said, turning to him. His eyes almost popped out of his head.

"Why?!"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," I said, going back towards my car.

"Oh no you're not," Edward said.

"Shut the hell up!" I yelled, turning back to him. "She's all I have left and there's nothing you can do to stop me," I told him, and threw the other note at him.

"Amber, he's right. You could get killed!" Jake said, pleadingly.

"I have to so something, Jake," I said, feeling the tears start to well up now.

"Let us come with you then," he said, walking a bit closer.

"No. They want me. No one else needs to be involved," I said, walking to him and hugging him fiercely. "You need to take care of things here. A pack of werewolves would most likely just get killed in Volterra. I'll come back, I promise. Take care of my kitten, please?" I asked. He nodded and kissed my forehead.

"If you don't come back then we're raising hell," he told me. I could tell how hard it was for him to just let me go. I smiled weakly and nodded. He let me go an I ran for my car.

"Amber! You can't," Alice said, suddenly by my side.

"I can and I will," I said, opening my door. Suddenly, there was a loud pop and I turned to see Edward holding a large chunk of my tire in one hand and the note in the other.

"You're not going anywhere," he said angrily.

"The hell I'm not!" I said, slamming my door shut.

"You're going to stay right here. I didn't just find out I have a daughter for you to try and kill yourself."

"You're no father to me," I growled at him. "You might have helped make me, but you're far from a father." Pain flashed through his eyes and a feeling of satisfaction ran through me.

"Amber," he said, a sad frown forming on his face.

"Save it," I spat, turning away from him, and started walking away.

"Now where are you going?"

"I'll fucking walk home," I said, throwing my hands up in the air. There was an angry noise behind me, but I wasn't going to sit around. I got into the cover of the trees when I felt a nudge at my side. I looked down into the hazel eyes of a russet wolf with a frown. I wasn't positive, but I assumed it was Adrian. "Adrian?" The wolf nodded, and then looked at his back meaningfully. My eyes widened. "You want me to.. ride on your back?" I asked, surprised. He nodded again. I _would_ get me home quicker. "Alright," I said, and crawled onto his back. I pulled my legs up to his sides, wrapped my arms around his neck, and leaned down into him.

He started off slow so I could get used to his movements and then gradually sped up. I was glad he offered. I would have froze in my pajamas. We stuck mainly to the forest since there was more traffic than usual tonight. I was going to have to use Tammy's car, I realized. I'd have to use the money Mom left me and get my passport. I wouldn't pack much. Just grab my duffel bag and throw some clothes in it. I'd leave the backdoor unlocked so Jacob would come in to take care of the kitten. When Adrian got up to my porch, I got off him then headed inside. I ran to the phone and dialed 411 for information and had them connect me to the airport.

"Hello, I'd like to purchase a ticket for the soonest flight to Volterra, Italy please," I said, and before I got an answer, a half naked Adrian grabbed the phone.

"Make that two tickets," he said, looking away from me.

"What are you thinking?!" I missed. He ignored me.

"Uh, yeah. That's the name of the girl who was originally on the phone," he said with a confused frown. "Alright. She will," he said, then rattled off some more information. I frowned, wondering what he was thinking and why the lady wanted to know my name.

"Four hours? Okay. Thank you very much," he said, and hung up the phone.

"You are NOT going with me!"

"You're not going alone," he said, staring down at me firmly.

"You're going to get killed," I said, pleadingly.

"And so it's okay for you to go and get killed?" he asked with a scoff.

"I can't just wait around, Adrian!"

"And I can't let you do this by yourself." I glared up at him, frustrated. This made no sense. He barely knew me and we were only just getting on good terms.

"What is this all about, Adrian?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips. He had no reason to be this attached. When he didn't answer, though, something hit me. "You didn't," I said, staring at him shocked.

"I did," he said, and it looked like he was bracing himseld. He imprinted on me!

**--**

**So, what did you all think? ;D**

**Lot's of goodies will be coming up soon. I was hoping to have this done before I started school again, but I don't know how that's going to work out. **

**I start the 3rd, so we'll see. **

**I know others will be starting soon, so I hope you've had a good summer. **

**Good luck with school, I know we all need it. Lol.**


	16. The Trip

**Warning : Contains spoilers to Breaking Dawn. Nothing big, but things are mentioned from the book, like powers.**

**I might have the next chapter done before the end of the week, not sure yet. It's a much faster paced one than this, so it'll be easier to write. **

**I'm babysitting, so yeah. It's hard to work on it, but I can when he goes down for his nap. **

**I have the first page and a half of the next one done already, so I've got a good head start. **

**This one might be a bit slow, but it was needed. Sometimes you just have to have boring chapters, you know?**

**But, you might not think it's boring, I don't know. Like they say, you're your own worst critic and I know I definitely am. **

**Well, enjoy. :D**

--

"Take it back!" I said, my eyes widening in shock. This can't be happening. I didn't want anyone else in my life. Not when there was promise written in Damen's letter. This wasn't like the infatuations at school that I could get rid of. This was much more complicated. Pain flashed through his eyes and he looked taken aback. Obviously that wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

"What?" he asked, his brow furrowing. "I can't do that, Amber, and you know it."

"Well, _try_! You can't be in love with me," I said, panic stricken. I hadn't even had time to get attached to him as a friend yet.

"Why not? Is it really that bad of a thing?" he asked, and I could hear the pain echoing in his voice. For some odd reason it tugged at my heart, but I was too stressed right now to acknowledge it.

"Yes, it is. Why does everything have to go wrong at the same time?!" I asked, flinging my arms into the air and turning from him. What the hell was I supposed to do now? I was desperately in love with Damen, and there was a chance to be with him still. Granted, it was small, but it was there. That would hurt Adrian though, in more ways than one. Werewolves can't stay away from the ones they imprint on too long, and if things went the way I wanted them too, then he'd be hurt because I was with Damen. Honestly, why me?

"Well, if that's the way it is, after all this is done I'll leave you alone. Forever. But I'm not going to let you do this alone," he said, a bitter edge in his voice as he brushed past me.

"Where are you going?" I asked, suddenly feeling guilty.

"To pack," he said, walking into the dark night soundlessly.

"Do you even have a passport?!" I yelled, and all I couldn't hear his response. I sighed, and ran my hand through my hair with frustration. What have I gotten myself into? I charged upstairs, grabbed a duffel bag and then went to my closet, shoving clothes into it. I grabbed a t-shirt to put on over my tank top then went to my dresser and threw in undergarments. Kitten was awake now and staring at me curiously from my computer chair. When I started rummaging through my other drawers he meowed quietly. I found my passport and threw it into the duffel bag along with my wallet. Killer meowed again and I turned to him sadly. I picked him up and cuddled him to my chest, petting him. "I'm sorry, hun. You're going to be here alone for a while, but someone will come to feed you and play with you, okay?" I said, kissing the top of his head. He meowed again, looking up me sadly. I sighed heavily and set him down on my bed.

I closed my duffel bag then grabbed it and headed downstairs. I pulled Tammy's keys off the hook. I hurried outside, closing the door behind me and headed for the car to find Adrian already waiting in the passenger's seat. He had a duffel bag like mine. I opened the door and threw it in the small backseat of the bug then got in, starting it up. I quickly turned the radio off as country music started to play and pulled out of the driveway. I sped off down the road, starting to feel uncomfortable in the silence. My heart was pounding, and it felt to me like the car wasn't moving fast enough.

"Do you have a passport?" I asked him, keeping my eyes on the road.

"Yes," he said, emotionlessly.

"Did you let Jake know you're coming with me?" I asked, frowning.

"I left a note," he said nonchalantly, looking out the passenger side window. I felt bad knowing I was the reason he was acting this way. I wish I knew some way to set things right without complicating it more and hurting him more than I already had. Instead I settled for the uncomfortable quiet and drove as fast as I could to the Port Angeles airport. I wondered how long it was going to take for everyone to realize we were gone. I hoped we were already on the plane before they did, or at least close to it.

"Why did the lady at the airport ask about my name?" I asked after a while when the thought had struck into my head. He jerked a little and I wondered if I had woke him up or surprised him since it had been so quiet.

"Your tickets were already paid for. I got lucky and got the last open seat, next to yours. You have window, I have middle," he explained, some of the distance fading from his voice. That caught me off guard a little. He must be paying for his out of his own pocket.

"I'll pay you back when this is all over with," I promised. I don't know what kind of money he had, but it wasn't fair for him to pay for everything when he was risking his life to be with me. He didn't say anything and I pursed my lips. I didn't want things to go back to the awkward silence. "So, why do you have a passport?"

"I figured it would come in handy some day," he said with a shrug.

"Oh," I said. It wasn't what I was looking for, but at least he responded.

"Why do you have one?" he asked, a mild curiosity in his voice. I noticed he turned his head to look at me now.

"Tammy made me get it. She's always wanted to go overseas, but we've never had the money. She always said that when she's done exploring North America, we'll save our money and go explore the other continents," I said with a small smile. The thought made my heart ache, and I wondered if we'd ever get that chance to now.

"Amber," he said, reaching over towards me cautiously. He didn't know whether to touch me or not. He dropped his arm, deciding otherwise. "She's going to be fine. We'll get her home safe and sound," he reassured me. I sighed deeply, my grip on the steering wheel tightening.

"I certainly hope so," I said, trying to keep my voice level.

"If you're going to get emotional on me, then you better let me drive," he said, watching me.

"I'll be fine," I said, wiping the moisture from my eyes. "I need to do something so I don't become a blubbering mess," I said with a wave of my hand. If I lost Tammy then I truly would be alone again. I'd be set out on my own, exposed without a security blanket anymore. I tried to push the thought aside, but it stuck in the back of my head, and I drove just a little faster. When we finally got to the airport, I paid to keep the bug in the parking lot for a week. We hurried inside, got to the ticket counter and checked in. We got our tickets and the lady gave us instructions on what to do, since neither of us had been in a situation that needed to take two flights. I thanked her and we headed for security check.

"We have to take our shoes off?" Adrian asked, making an unhappy face.

"Yeah," I said with a slightly amused look. "Adrian, have you ever been on a plane before?"

"No," he said, and I noticed how rigid he was. I didn't know if it was because he was nervous, or it was because he was so close to me at the time.

"It's not that bad, really. Don't worry, you'll be fine," I reassured him, and he just nodded a little. When we had successfully gotten through security, and had our shoes back on, we headed for the gate we needed to be at. After checking to make sure we were in the right spot, we sat down to wait. I heard a loud grumble from beside me and I turned to look at Adrian with a cocked from. He looked down at me with a slightly sheepish grin and I couldn't help but chuckle. I pulled my wallet out of my duffel bag, and handed him a twenty. "Go get you something to eat. It's going to be a long flight," I told him.

"Thanks," he said, taking the money. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. I'm not hungry," I told him, truthfully. My nerves were too shot for me even to think about food. He was lucky enough to even see me smile a little right now.

"Amber," he started with a frown, "You have to eat something."

"No, I don't. Trust me. If I eat right now, I'll probably just puke it back up," I said, trying to sound convincing. He didn't seem to believe me but got up anyways and walked off. It wasn't long 'til he came back with two large bags of fast food. To the onlooker, he probably looked like the biggest pig, but I knew that that would probably just fill him up. He pulled out a small bag of fries and handed them to me.

"Humor me," he said when I started to protest. It was obvious I wasn't going to get out of this one. I frowned and took the bag. The salt probably would help calm me down a little. I took a fry and ate it slowly. By the time I finished my fries, he had finished off his food and presented me with a bottle of water. I took it gratefully, and he put the empty fry bag into his, then got up to throw it away. Soon after that, it was time to start boarding the plane. We boarded at different times, but that was okay. I got on first, and buckled in, placing my bag down between my legs. I had an excellent view out the window. When Adrian sat down, I told him everything he had to do.

"Do you need me to hold your hand?" I teased as the plane started to move and I saw he looked considerably more nervous. He gave me a mock glare, and I snickered. I reached over and securely grabbed his hand anyways. I know I had reacted harshly earlier, and I regretted it, but I couldn't take it back now. He laced his fingers with mine and held onto my hand tightly. There was nothing I could do about him imprinting on me, but I would do what I could to make this easier on him. I knew this meant different to him than it did me, but I trusted he knew his boundaries.

He calmed down once we were in the air, and gazed out the window to the brightly lit city. I always found that view pretty, but I couldn't appreciate it tonight. I wouldn't be okay until I was at home with Tammy, both of us safe in our beds. Adrian put down his arm rest when the girl on his other side started to get too close. I couldn't help but chuckle. He gave me a nudge, a humorous glint in his eye. Halfway through the flight, fatigue started to hit me, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. I didn't want to fall asleep until I knew Tammy was safe, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to pull that off. Before I knew it I was nodding off on Adrian's warm shoulder. I knew I should have leaned the other way, but I was getting cold.

"Thank you, Amber," Adrian whispered into my ear.

"Mhm," I said, too far gone to question why he'd say that. I felt a squeeze to my hand that was still resting in his. I think I tried to squeeze back, but I fell asleep right away.

"Amber," someone said, jarring me a little. I stirred, but tried to ignore them. I wanted to cling to the dream world where I was back in Los Angeles with Tammy, Damen, and all my friends just a little longer. "Amber, wake up. We're in New York," Adrian said, giving me another nudge. I groaned and was jarred again, but this time it was from the plane landing. I sighed deeply and sat up, looking around groggily. I pulled my hand from Adrian's and rubbed at my eyes. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long to get on the next plane. I undid my buckle and grabbed my bag. We were close the front of the plane so it wouldn't take long to get off. When we had finally made it out into the new airport, I told Adrian where the next gate was.

Luckily, it was close by, and should be boarding in about 5 minutes. I stood next to the front desk and stared out the window sleepily. It had been so long since I had been in New York. I never really liked the city, though. It wasn't what people made it out to be, but then I had never travelled into any other part than Manhattan. I loved the city at night though, when it was all lit up. It was beautiful, especially from the top of the Empire State building. Adrian hovered next to me protectively, and I wondered if he had temporarily forgotten about earlier. I wished things could have been different for him, but there was nothing I could do, or think to do in my sleepy stupor.

"Boarding call for flight 1692, Zone one," a board lady said over the intercom. We waited for our zone, then got in line. I shivered as a blast of cold air hit me when we walked through the terminal to get onto the plane. I had forgotten how cold it was here towards winter. The fresh air was refreshing, though, and woke me up a little. We were seated close to the front again, and this flight didn't have as many people. Luckily, it was just us in our row, so we could stretch out a little. I situated myself so I was semi-comfortably leaning against Adrian's chest and staring out the window. His warmth was starting to make me drowsy again, but I did my best to keep awake.

As the plane started to take off, my nerves started to kick in. This was it. I was on my way to Italy, and I was going to go rescue Tammy from a large group of bloodsucking vampires that could rip my head off in a second. I wish my mind would have spared me the last part, but it was true. I breathed in deeply, trying to calm my external appearance, but my mind was in turmoil. What am I going to say? Hi, I'd like my aunt back, please and thanks. I doubt it'd be that easy. What if they had already killed her? What if one of them lost control or just decided to eat her?! My heart started to race, but I banished the thought, so I didn't start hyperventilating there on the plane. Get a grip, Amber, they won't kill her if they're using her as bait. Not yet, at least. I frowned and mentally slapped myself. Sometimes my pessimistic mind really needed to contain itself. What about Damen? It was obvious he really did remember me, but why wouldn't he acknowledge that in school? And why was he with the Volturi?

I had so many questions, but I forced myself to concentrate on the view outside before my thoughts sent me into a panic attack. I heard a quiet snore, and turned to see Adrian with his head back, sleeping soundly. I smiled slightly. He looked childlike while he was sleeping, and it was a cute compared to the bad boy he tries to be. I was glad he had come with me, in a way, but at the same time I wished so much that he would have just stayed home. A guilty, painful twinge sparked in my chest because I knew there was a good chance that he was going to get hurt somehow. I reached up and gently brushed away a strand of his hair from his face.

He had cut it since we met. It was past his shoulders, but it had been cut closer to his face. It didn't look bad on him, but I preferred it longer. I guess it was easier that way for when he was a wolf so he didn't look like some big shaggy dog. I chuckled as that image ran through my head and stared back out the window. The sun was up now, and the sight was beautiful against the sea. Slightly blinding, but beautiful. I lowered the window shade a little as the sun got higher. How long would it take to get to Italy? I guess I should have checked first, but oh well. Too late now.

As the time dragged on, I was starting to get impatient. I wasn't expecting it to take this long, and I was starting to get impatient. My water bottle had long been empty, and I was building up a collection of bottles. Adrian would be awake soon enough and we were going to need food. He could probably eat all the food on this plane though, and still be hungry. I sighed and suddenly wished we had brought snacks. Adrian started to stir next to me, and I shifted so my back was more to the window. He looked around groggily before running his hand over his face.

"What time is it?" he asked with a frown.

"I don't know, to be honest," I told him with a sigh. We had to be almost there at least. He waited until a stewardess was coming down the aisle and stopped her.

"Excuse me, but what time is it?" he asked, politely.

"Noon, sir. We have about two more hours left," she said with a friendly smile. Dear god. I wish it was over now. We'd have to get a hotel room or something until nightfall. They weren't going to be roaming around in the light unless they had a good reason. "Would you like something to eat, perhaps? You were asleep for breakfast," she said.

"Uh," he frowned a little, then grabbed the book in the seat in front of him that the safety video told us had food and drink selections in. "It didn't take long until he started ordering, and the stewardess looked shocked, but left to get his food, visibly trying to remember everything he said. I shook my head and pulled out some more money for him, but he refused. "This one is on me." When the lady wheeled the cart of his food down, he paid her, then balanced the food on his tray and the one next to him. He almost needed mine too, but he managed. Many people stared at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"We should have brought snacks for you," I said, watching him with a grin.

"I did bring snacks," he said, grinning a little. He nudged his bag with his foot and I heard a crinkling noise. I laughed and shook my head. "What about you? Have you eaten yet?"

"Yes," I lied, looking away from him now. I really wasn't in the mood to eat. I just wanted to get this done and over with.

"Amber," he said, obviously doubting me.

"What?" I asked, trying to look up at him innocently. He grabbed his bowl of fruit, opened my tray, and set it down.

"Eat it," he said before I could say anything. I glared up at him, but ate it anyways so he didn't cause a scene or something. He seemed satisfied enough and when he finished the stewardess came back over to take the plates. "So how are we supposed to find these guys? They're not going to be out in broad daylight, looking for us or anything," he asked, stretching out leisurely in what space we had. I glanced around, and saw that the people behind us were listening to music that was too loud to hear us, and the people next to us were wrapped up in their own conversation.

"Well, we could either get a hotel room and get some sleep until nightfall, or we could go running around always screaming out things to get their attention," I said. I preferred the first one. As much as I loved to piss people like them off for no reason, I was in no condition to go provoking people who could flinch and kill me. Maybe if I knew I was on safer grounds. Adrian raised a brow, obviously agreeing with me.

"I'll take the first option," he started, "But we still have to find a way to get their attention."

"True," I said with a sigh. I hadn't quite figured that one out yet, but I would think someone would be looking for us since they told us to come.

"Do you know anything about these guys?" Adrian asked. That was a good question. He needed to be prepared.

"I don't know them all, but I know for the guard there's Felix, who's just big and scary. Demetri, who can track anyone once he hears their mind. Jane, who gets in your mind and makes you think you're in pain. I heard it's quite brutal. Her brother or something, Alec, has like the exact opposite. He makes you feel nothing and puts you in a black void. As for the big guys, Aro is a really friendly person who can touch you and know every thought you've ever had. Marcus can see relationships and their strengths. As for Caius, I don't think he has a power," I said with a frown, trying to remember. "Those are just the ones I know, though. There are several others." I glanced up at him and saw the shocked fear in his eyes.

"And you wanted to rush right in there with that as your opponent?!" he asked as quietly and fiercely as he could.

"They're not going to hurt me if they're trying to lure me there," I pointed out.

"You don't know that. It could very well just be some trap to kill you. You don't know what they think of you," he shot back. Unfortunately, he did have a point. Carlisle had said that half vampire children were rare and he never mentioned how the Volturi felt about our existence.

"Yeah, well, you're the loon who wanted to come with me," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Because I wasn't going to let you just go and kill yourself without at least trying to protect you. Just seems like it's going to be harder than I thought," he said with a frown.

"You're just putting yourself into unnecessary danger," I muttered, looking out the window again.

"It's not unnecessary if it deals with you," he mumbled so I almost didn't hear. I sighed and glanced over at him. His hard mask was back and I frowned. I wish I knew what to tell him, or what to say, but I opted for keeping my mouth shut. With my luck I'd only make things worse. He seemed to be ignoring my stare, and I went back to looking out the window.

The rest of the time passed in silence, and I was so grateful that the signs in the airport had English underneath the Italian. I had taken French classes before, and I was okay at it, but I didn't know enough of it to try and roughly translate the Italian. Once we had retrieved our bags, got a map, and the list of the nearest hotels, we stepped out from the toasty airport to the brisk cold air of winter. I shivered, suddenly wishing I hadn't of been in such a hurry to forget my jacket and to change into some jeans. We started off until I saw an elderly man, looking quite cold, holding a sign that said "Amber Swan".

"Hey, Adrian, look," I said, pointing to the man. He frowned and we started to walk over to him. The man glanced at us, but otherwise pretended we weren't making our way straight to him.

"Excuse me, sir," I said, approaching him. "I'm Amber Swan." He looked me over briefly and dropped his sign. He glanced at Adrian, and I guess he wasn't expecting anyone other than me.

"Greetings, Madam, and welcome to Italy. I was asked to escort you to my master's whereabouts, but I wasn't expecting anyone else," he said, a little hesitant at the end. I smiled sweetly up to him.

"Thank you. It was a bit last minute, so there was no time to inform anyone that he was coming with me. It's not an inconvenience is it?" I asked, frowning a little. I wasn't expecting a chaperon.

"Oh, no it is not. I was just caught off guard, is all," he said with a slight nod of his head. He didn't seem to trust Adrian, but then I guess he did look intimidating at 6'2 and his new body growth. "Come, Madam, you must be freezing," the man said, as if suddenly realizing I was standing there in a t-shirt and shorts. He ushered us over to his idling car and opened the back door for us. I slid in and sighed in relief. It was nice and warm in the car, and with Adrian sitting next to me, I was all set. When he closed the door, Adrian turned to me.

"I don't know if I trust him," he whispered.

"Oh, Adrian, what isn't there to trust? He's giving us a ride, so we don't have to spend any money on a hotel, and I won't freeze to death," I pointed out.

"I could keep you plenty warm," he said, and I detected a slight teasing in his voice.

"Oh, I'm sure you could," I teased back a little and I saw him grin. "Oh my gosh, is that a smile?" I asked, leaning forward to look at his face. "Yes, I think it is," I said, grinning as he pursed his lips. I laughed and patted his arm as the man got into the car. It was a quick drive to Volterra, and most of the time my eyes were concentrated on the landscape outside. It was beautiful and I wondered what it would look like in Spring. The driver, noticing my enthusiasm, pointed out different things and landmarks, and told me about them.

With each passing mile, though, I got more and more nervous. I tried not to show it, and when I looked over at Adrian I saw that he was doing just the same. I couldn't decide whether he was courageous or just mental to be coming with me into the lair of the most powerful vampires of the world. I wouldn't let them hurt him though. I would try my best, at least. When we pulled into the city, I swear it felt as if my heart was about to beat its way from my chest. I watched vaguely as we twisted through streets, and when we stopped in front of an alley, I thought my heart was going to explode.

The driver got out and opened my door, and I slid out, now noticing how bad I was shaking. Where had all my courage gone? It was definitely a lot different thinking about going to kick vampire ass to get my aunt back compared to actually doing it. Adrian slid out behind me, and I looked up to his jaw clenched tightly. He stuck right behind me, refusing to be any farther than a couple inches. I didn't mind at the moment. He was warm and he made me feel a little safer, though I know they could kill him just as quickly.

"This way," the man said, walking into the alley. I gripped the handle to my duffel bag tightly, and started after him. He led us deep into the alley, with a few turns here and there. I peered around the next corner and frowned. It looked like a deserted dead end.

"Thank you, Charles. You may leave," a man's voice said. I looked around, not seeing anyone until two figures in gray cloaks stepped out from the shadows.

**--**

**Woo! They're there. **

**Who's there to greet them and what's going to happen?! :o**

**The beginning is humorous. **

**Now, to get off topic a little. I was highly disappointed in Breaking Dawn. **

**I wanted there to be an all out war! Lot's of fighting and good action! Dx**

**I was upset, like the Romanians. Lol.**

**Anyways, I was thinking of something. **

**What if Bella and Jake HAD gotten together and had a kid and he imprinted on it? **

**I know, creepy and wrong sounding, but it popped into my head and made me laugh. **


	17. Reunited

**I've had extra time to work on this chapter, and so here it is. :D**

**Thanks to those who sent reviews before. **

**Feel free to ask questions, critique, or give suggestions, though I pretty much have everything planned from here.**

--

One man was tall and big, like Emmett, with chalky olive colored skin. The second person, who was a man, had the same complexion, but with hair to his shoulders, compared to the short cut of the other one. Charles nodded a little to the men then turned and left. I felt strangely exposed now that he was gone, though I'm sure he knew something about what they did. I just wanted to believe that with him there they wouldn't kill us.

"I'm going to assume you're Amber," the one with the longer hair said, taking a step closer.

"No shit," I said, my voice a little shaky. The other man with the short hair grinned, walking forward a bit.

"Oooh, she's feisty," he said, looking me over. I heard Adrian growl behind me, and the other two snapped their eyes to his tall figure behind me.

"He never mentioned anything about him," the long haired man said, not refraining to show the disgust on his face.

"I say we dispose of this guy, and the other one and just keep her," the other man said, grinning wickedly at me. I felt a streak of fear run through me and I pushed myself back against Adrian.

"Now, now, Felix. She's here because the masters want to see her, not for Damen," the man said.

"Yes, Demetri, I know," Felix said with a dissatisfied frown.

"Just give me Tammy back, that's all I want," I said, glaring between the two men.

"Oh, she's been well taken care of, I assure you," Demetri said. I wasn't sure how to take that, but I didn't like the sound of it for now.

"Well taken care of," Felix reiterated with a grin. I glared at him angrily, clenching my fists.

"If she's been hurt, at all," I started, but Demetri cut in.

"She's perfectly fine, now let's go inside before the clouds decide to lift," he said, turning back to the end of the alleyway. He walked towards a grate and lifted it swiftly. I wondered briefly how heavy it was and walked forward. Adrian stayed practically glued to my back and when I got close enough, I peered down the hole to see nothing but darkness.

"You want me to jump down there?" I asked, my eyes widening a little. Images of tumbling onto concrete floors and breaking bones flashed through my head.

"Oh, don't be a baby and jump," Felix said, coming closer.

"Easy for you to say! You're a vampire. Jumping off the grand canyon would be like rolling out of bed for you guys," I said, throwing up my free arm in exasperation.

"You're half vampire too," Demetri said with a slight chuckle. I'm glad they found this humorous. I don't know why I felt I could say such things around them, but I guess the thought of Tammy being alright had lifted some of the burden off my shoulders.

"Or do you need some help?" Felix said with a smirk. I pursed my lips and glared at him. He was deadly and obviously very sexual. Not a good combo. I looked around and sighed. Adrian was sneering, obviously trying his best not to freak out. He should probably go first. Not only did I not feel comfortable leaving him up here alone with them, but he'd be able to catch me.

"No," I said firmly to Felix, then turned to Adrian. "You go first."

"What?!" he said, his eyes widening a bit.

"You go first down the tunnel of doom," I said, moving a little and pointing to the hole. "Unless you'd rather stay up here alone with these two?" I asked, cocking a brow. He clenched his jaw and I knew I was winning.

"So, it's either I stay here with these two while you go down the tunnel, or I go first and hope there's no leeches there, ready to eat me?" he asked, glaring at me. I heard a slight snarl and I placed a hand on Adrian's arm.

"I think you shouldn't piss anyone off anymore than you will by just being here," I told him sincerely, then turned to the other two vampires. "If anything happens to him, from either of you, or anyone waiting down in that death hole, I swear I—"

"Just go," Felix said, exasperated and obviously losing his patience. "No one's going to try eat him, trust me," he said, looking over Adrian with disgust.

"And what about her?" Adrian asked, stiffening.

"Do you honestly think we would call her here just to kill her in some alleyway?" Demetri asked, looking offended.

"She is quite tempting," Felix said, grinning at me again. I rolled my eyes and turned to Adrian, attempting to push him towards the hole. I knew I should be nervous, or frightened or something, but I knew Felix was all talk for now. He'd get in trouble for trying to do anything of the sort.

"Just go and tell me when you're ready," I told him, just wanting to get down there to see Tammy.

"And leave you up here with this guy?" he asked, glaring at Felix now.

"I'll handle the sexual deviant," I reassured him, and I heard a chuckle from someone. Adrian looked at me, torn. "Please?" I asked softly, giving him my best puppy dog eyes. He sighed, giving up and turned to the hole. He crouched down and then jumped. I peered down the hole, listening intently for his landing, but heard nothing.

"Okay, Amber," I heard him call, and I almost jumped. He sounded quite close. I sat down and slid my legs into the opening.

"You better catch me," I warned, inching myself closer to the edge.

"Don't worry, I will," he said, sounding anxious. He probably didn't like being down there alone, or with whoever was there.

"Okay," I said, took a deep breath, and then slid myself the rest of the way into the tunnel. I was surprised at how dark it stayed, until suddenly there was light and I landed with a loud oomph into two awaiting arms. I looked over to Adrian and smiled a little, moving one arm around his shoulder. "That was kind of fun." He looked at me like I was crazy, but then took a couple steps back and let me down. One of his arms remained secured around my waist though. I didn't mind, or blame him. I wasn't completely at ease, and Adrian was the only one here that would protect me, besides maybe Damen. My heart jerked a little, as I realized I was going to see him soon. A movement caught my eye and I saw that Felix and Demetri had joined us.

"Follow me," Demetri said, leading the way, with Felix in the back.

"Why do we always get escort duty for this stuff?" Felix complained, obviously disliking our slow pace. I ignored him and concentrated on everything around me, trying to memorize it or look for doors. I wanted to see Tammy, _now_.

He led us through the corridors, and I was glad it was kind of warm compared to the outside weather. I looked around, wishing to see some other people at least. That wish was granted soon enough though. Demetri led us into an elegant looking chamber filled with vampires and a few humans. Everyone stopped and turned to look at us, and I guess I should have been more specific with my wish. I shifted closer to Adrian and kept my eyes away from faces. Felix and Demetri greeted some people and the quiet chatter sounded up again as we walked on. I ignored the funny looks and the comments, and then relaxed a little as we entered another room that was larger, much cooler, and there weren't as many people. I looked around some more, trying to think of where Tammy would be held.

"The masters are on their way," a human girl said, glancing up from what she was doing briefly.

"What about Tammy? Where is she?" I asked, staring around at the two guards and the human receptionist.

"She'll be coming with them, along with Damen," Demetri answered, obviously wanting to get this done and over with too. He was probably a busy man and had better things to attend to. Well, too damn bad for him. The angry side was starting to set it, yet I knew that while they may not kill me at first, who knows what they'll do after they get what they want.

They sure are taking their time, I thought as the moments went by. Almost immediately following that thought, Felix and Demetri straightened, and two large doors opened. Adrian's arm tightened around my waist, and I was forced to move an arm around his back, or suffer from discomfort. In walked three men wearing dark black cloaks, two with long, jet black hair and the other with hair as white as he was. All three seemed to glide across the beautiful marble floor. As much as I found their elegance to be entrancing, they weren't who I was looking for. Several others entered with them, and I was starting to grow impatient, until I saw them.

My heart stopped when I saw him. I had been forcing myself not to really look at him, and now when I did, I wanted to just go to him. He was looking around intently until his eyes fell on me. I saw the flicker of pain in his eyes, and I pursed my lips so I wouldn't do anything rash. Behind him stood Tammy, looking timid yet peeved all at the same time. I tried to move forward, but Adrian's hold was too tight. I wanted to go to her, and make sure she was okay myself. Damen, seeing something in my face that I couldn't, dropped his gaze, looking almost ashamed. Well, he very well should be after everything he's done, but I couldn't bring myself to be angry at him. He was alive. He really was.

"Ah! Amber, welcome to Volterra!" one of the black haired, elderly vampires said, opening his arms in welcome. They were seated in three elegant looking chairs, and we were motioned to move forward. "I've heard so much about you." My eyes snapped over to Damen, who looked suddenly uncomfortable. Ugh, that meant he knew everything of our relationship. _Gross_. "And who might this be?" he asked, looking curiously at Adrian.

"My name is Adrian," he said stiffly, obviously not comfortable with talking to him.

"Well, we welcome you, as well. I don't recall you saying anything about him, Damen," the man said, turning to him. He looked up at him apologetically.

"I didn't know he was coming," he said, honestly.

"He insisted on coming, though I tried to tell him not to," I told him, and he looked back at me. He was about to say something, but then the other black haired man touched his arm briefly, a bored look on his face. I guessed that he was Marcus, the man I was talking to was Aro, and that left the white haired man with the sour look to be Caius.

"Very peculiar," he said, looking between us. I could see how that was going to get annoying quick. As if noticing that in my expression, he offered an explanation. "Sorry. I hear people's thoughts when they touch me. Marcus here sees the strength in relationships, and he was telling me about the love triangle that seems to be going on," he said, with a curious grin.

"Oh," I said lamely, looking back at Adrian with concern. He was bothered enough by being here, so I couldn't tell if anything had changed. I glanced over at Tammy, who was looking over Adrian and me with suspicious eyes. I wanted to tell her everything she had missed these past few weeks, but I had a feeling we weren't leaving here until they were done with their questions.

"You are the daughter of Bella, right?" Aro asked, and I could tell he was looking for something.

"Yes, why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes on his suspiciously.

"Yes, you do look like her. I was just curious. She was immune to my, and several others of ours powers. I was wondering if you were the same way?" he said, and I knew he was asking permission.

"I don't know," I said honestly. I wasn't going to give him more detail than he needed.

"May I try?" he asked, holding his hand out. "And, with you as well, Adrian?" He was pushing his luck there, but he was nosey, and I probably would have asked the same thing if I had that power. I guess part of it was so he could learn what he could if he failed with me. I looked up at Adrian, who looked like he would rather die, but I pulled him forward slightly anyways. He followed, reluctantly and when we had reached Aro, I gently put my hand in his. His skin felt weird, but I waited patiently. He closed his eyes, and after a moment, he frowned. He released my hand and smiled down at me thoughtfully.

"Remarkable. Not a thing," he said, then turned to Adrian. He reached out and layed his hand gently upon his shoulder. After a few moments, he lifted his hand, sympathy in his eyes. Adrian only stiffened and pulled us back. "My dear, you must be famished," Aro said, looking at me with a slight frown. I groaned and glared up at Adrian.

"I'm completely fine," I said. When my gaze flickered to Tammy's I was receiving twin glares that obviously stated that she and Damen didn't believe me.

"Well, if you insist, but you must be tired. You've had a long day and I won't keep you up. We can have a wonderfully long talk tomorrow," Aro said with a friendly smile. I hated how he seemed to think of us as friends, though I knew nothing about him. "Demetri, will you lead our guests to their rooms?"

"Yes, master," he said with a nod of his head. He started off in one direction, and we followed. He led us through more corridors, and I wondered how they were able to remember their way around. Soon enough we approached two doors across from each other, each with a guard. Demetri opened one door and then turned to us. "You and Adrian are to be in this room. Tammy and Damen are roomed in this room," he said, indicating to the other door."Unless you want to switch things up. Which, if you do, let us know. We'd like to see that fight," he said, grinning and glancing between Adrian and someone behind us. I turned my head to see Damen, who was glaring at both of them, and Tammy. Demetri turned away from us then and left. Adrian pulled me forward through the open door, obviously not wanting to stay in the presence of so many vampires. When I heard the door close, I turned again to see Tammy had followed us. I wiggled my way from Adrian, and rushed to Tammy. She embraced me tightly, and I sighed in relief.

"I'm so glad you're okay," I said, and felt a sniffle coming on. Damn hormones. Tammy released me, but kept close.

"They've treated me really well, actually. I was expecting fangs and blood everywhere," she said with a laugh. If only she knew, I thought, but smiled anyways.

"What happened?" I asked, and she steered me over to one of the bed, and we sat down. She slipped her hand comfortably into mine and began.

"When I was getting ready to go to bed, I found Damen waiting for me in my room, and you can imagine how freaky that was. Thinking your niece's boyfriend is dead, then finding him in your room isn't exactly normal, so of course, I freaked out. He wasn't acting like his normal charming self, so I had doubts it was actually him. I had never seen him so rude, and he kidnapped me and dragged me here. On the way here, though, he explained everything. It was a lot to take in at first, I'll admit, but he's made sure no one hurts me. I guess it's his way of trying to make up for things. He didn't want to do any of this, but I'll leave the rest of it for him to explain," she told me reassuringly. So, he had protected her. That thought made me feel lighter, and I wanted to thank him. I looked around, wondering why he hadn't followed, though it wasn't too hard to guess. There was Adrian, and me, and he probably wasn't too happy with himself. "Hey, Adrian, how about me and you go have a talk," Tammy said, standing up and walked over to him.

"What about Amber?" he asked, confused and looking nervous. I wondered what scared him more, Tammy or the vampires.

"Oh, we'll have plenty of time to catch up on things. She has a lot to explain, don't worry. She's not off the hook," Tammy said, looking back at me with a grin. I stuck my tongue out at her. How we could be so calm in this vipers nest, I have no idea, but that had always been our way. She taught me to laugh things off, and when things got difficult like this, act normal and don't let others see how it's bothering you. "C'mon," she said, slipping her arm around his.

"Uh, okay," he said as she started tugging him towards the door. He shot me a pleading look and I only smiled to him with a chuckle. I layed back on the bed, claiming it as mine, and closed my eyes. It really was comfortable. I could see myself getting a good night's sleep on it. I felt a light pressure on my bed and opened my eyes to see Damen sitting at the edge, his eyes on the floor. The door was closed and I wondered if this was the reason Tammy wanted to have that talk. I turned a little, looking down the bed at him. He was frowning, and his hands were clasped in his lap. I knew that expression. It was the one where he wanted to say something, but didn't know how.

"Amber.. I," he started, then paused, his frown deepening. There was no use in saying anything. It was best to just wait for him to work the words out himself. "I can understand if you hate me, and want nothing to do with me, but you have to know all of the story first."

"Damen," I started but he held up a hand to stop me.

"No, listen to everything first. I know how you are, and you're probably not mad at me, but you should be. I don't want you to just let all of this go without knowing everything," he said, looking down at me with a sad smile.

"Fine," I said. I frowned and sighed, staring up at him expectantly. He was probably surprised I wasn't yelling at him, or flipping out, and frankly so was I. It wasn't like me not to get angry over these things, or 'over react' but I guess the thought of how things went last time I didn't want to mess up again.

"That night, when I left your house, there was a man in my car. He never told me his name, but he told me that all those stories you told me, really were true. Not that I doubted you to begin with," he added in, glancing over at me. "But, he told me that either I came with him, and became one of them, or he would kill me and use someone else. They wanted to use me to get you over here because they knew you'd never come on your own, and you'd come if it was someone you care for, or used to," he said, his expression sad. "They didn't want to travel over to Forks themselves, and it was either me, or they might have used Tara."

"Tara's always wanted to be a vampire," I told him, and I saw a dark shadow pass through his eyes.

"Yes, she has," he said, smiling a little. I wished I knew what he was thinking, but it was probably best I didn't. "They were going to wait, because of me being a newborn, but when they discovered my ability to restrain myself, they put things into action almost immediately. It hurt so much to see you that day in Gym and pretend I didn't know you. To see you look so devastated and torn, and just pretend you were some random girl," he said, softly. I reached my hand out and pulled on his arm. He looked down at me slightly shocked, but surrendered his arm. I slid my hand into his and he entwined his icy fingers with mine."I didn't hurt Tammy at all. I've done my best so that she'll be safe. I could never hurt Tammy, you know that," he said with a sad smile.

"I know, Damen," I said, squeezing his hand a little. "And, I want you to know that I'm sorry, about everything. I knew you'd never cheat on me, but I was just so upset, and I wasn't thinking straight. I wished I could have taken it back sooner," I finished, my voice faltering a little.

"Oh, Amber," he said, and next thing I knew he was laying next to me, his arms wrapped around me tightly. I gasped, shocked at the sudden cold, but wrapped my arms around him and buried my head into his chest.

"I've missed you so much," I said, clinging to him. I felt him kiss the top of my head and I smiled.

"I've missed you, too, baby," he said. He was the only boyfriend I had ever had that it felt right when he called me that. I lifted my head up and stared up into his crimson eyes. They should probably scare me, or make me push him away, but all I could think was that I missed his icy blue eyes. His face was so close to me and I felt my breath catch. He noticed too, and I noticed how his expression changed from sad to intense and loving. He shifted his head the last few inches and his cool lips were pressed firmly to mine. My eyes closed as my arms pulled him closer, and I deepened the kiss. My fingers slid up into his hair, and he flipped me on my back, his tongue parting my lips. I felt light as a feather and complete again with him here. I welcomed the change in the kiss, and felt his body press down into mine. I knew he wouldn't go any farther though, not in this place. He pulled back briefly, his nose brushing against mine happily. "I love you, Amber," he whispered, staring down into my eyes.

"I love you more," I whispered back, and I saw him grin playfully.

"Yeah? I don't believe you. I'm pretty positive I love you more than you love me," he said, giving me a quick kiss.

"I think you're full of shit. I so love you more," I said, grinning widely. He gasped in mock surprise and pulled one of my hands from around his neck.

"Well, I think you're on something that you should share. I love you more, end of debate," he said slipping his cold hand into mine, pinning it to the bed. He showered my face in kisses and I couldn't help but giggle.

"I'll never give up," I said, trying to free my hand so I could find his ticklish spot. I paused briefly, wondering if vampires who were ticklish before still were. He noticed my pause and stopped, looking down at me.

"What is it?" he asked, frowning a little.

"Are vampires ticklish?" I asked, cocking my head to the side a little. He blinked and then started laughing, shaking his head.

"Leave it to you to think of that," he said, pressing his lips down to mine again.

"Yeah, I know," I said, grinning against his lips. He stiffened, and I frowned, then heard a small cough. I pulled my lips from Damen's and tilted my head to the side to see who was there. Standing in the doorway was an angry, hurt looking Adrian and Tammy with a grin and cocked brow.

"Well, I'm glad to see you two made up nicely," she said, and I couldn't help but grin. Damen chuckled a little and released me, getting up now. I shivered a little, and wished vampires weren't so cold. I slid out of my bed after him and stood by his side.

"Did you two have a nice talk?" I asked, and Damen's hand wound into mine again. Adrian was staring at me intensely, and I tried not to meet his gaze. I felt bad enough about him as it was, but there was nothing I could do now. I couldn't help who I loved and didn't love. I still considered him a good friend, though. Tammy glanced up at him sympathetically.

"Yes, we did, and I can't wait to have our talk, but I'm sure you're tired. We'll talk when you wake up," she said and smiled at me. It was one of those things where you knew something was going to go down and you didn't have an option.

"Alright," I said. "Are we keeping the same room assignments?" I asked, looking between everyone.

"I think that would be best," Tammy said, looking around too. "I'd love to stay in here with you, but I don't think those two would last very long together. And, I know you two are responsible and all, but you know my thoughts on that, too," she said. Tammy didn't like us sleeping in the same bed together, but she knew 9 times out of 10, nothing happened. It was just the way she was raised, though.

"Okay, sounds good to me," I said, nodding. Damen squeezed my hand and leaned down to kiss me swiftly.

"Good night, babe. I'll see you when you get up," he said with a smile, then let go of my hand and walked out the door, past a furious Adrian.

"Good night, you two, and you better behave," Tammy said, pointing to each of us before leaving and closing the door. When they were gone I could feel the hostility, anger, and pain rolling off Adrian.

"So you don't get pissed when he uses pet names?" he spat, standing there with clenched fists.

"Adrian, it's different when he says it. I've been dating him for 2 years, and I had just met you," I explained, trying to calm him down, though I don't think that would work. He sneered and stomped to his bed. "Look, I'm sorry," I said and he spun around.

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't make anything better, Amber. You still chose that bloodsucker, and now I'll have to pay the price. He abandoned you and turned into an untrustworthy monster, and now you run back into his arms like a blind little girl," he said angrily, his figure shaking.

"Listen," I started, getting angry now. "I am sorry things turned out this way, and there's nothing I can do about it. If it wasn't for Damen, maybe you'd stand a better chance, but I can't help that. I am not a little girl. I know what I'm doing. I'm half vampire, and you imprinted on me. What if I had become full vampire? Hm? What then? I'd be just like those untrustworthy leeches," I challenged, glaring at him. He sneered at me, and I wondered if maybe I had pushed things too far. The last thing we needed was for him to transform here. He breathed in deeply several times, and I knew he was trying to calm down. Instead of answering, he turned his back on me and layed down in his bed. I sighed, and frowned, crawling into my own bed. It was obvious I wouldn't get any farther tonight. I pulled the covers up over me and snuggled into the comfortable bed. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

**--**

**Poor Adrian. **

**Lost in a hopeless love. D:**

**Don't worry, he won't be miserable forever. **

**Damen might be in trouble though.**


	18. A Tragic Misunderstanding

**Okay, I know, it's been FOREVER. **

**And, I'm SUPER sorry. **

**I got major writers block and just didn't know how to write this chapter. **

**It's not as good as it should be, but I wanted to get it done for you guys. **

**It's almost over, and I'm sorry you've all had to wait so long. **

**I absolutely promise that I will finish this, just work with me. **

--

"What about that girl?"

My body jerked as that feeling of almost falling off the bed hit me. I had been almost asleep and I was sure Adrian wasn't going to talk to me again until at least tomorrow. I groaned mentally, wishing to get off this topic and get back to lala land. He did, unfortunately have a point. He could have kidnapped Tammy without killing Julia. Granted, she wasn't my favorite person in the world, but she didn't deserve to die.

"I don't know," I said softly. I had had dreams of going back to sleep, but this was going to bother me now. I felt my eyes open a little and it felt odd to be staring at the creamy walls.

"He killed her and she was totally innocent," he said, prodding some more at the topic. I could tell he wasn't just going to let this drop and mope.

"I know this, Adrian. We haven't discussed it yet," I said, starting to get a little annoyed.

"You can't trust him," he continued, and I heard him turn over to face me. I kept my back to him for now though. I could understand he wanted a fighting chance, but this was only going to make things worse for him. As much as I knew that Damen wouldn't kill anyone, it did make me a little leery. He was still the Damen I knew, but I hadn't really thought about his new changes that much.

"Let me handle this, Adrian. I know what I'm doing more than you do," I snapped. Yeah, sleep was out of the picture for a while.

"Do you, Amber? Do you really? Because I think you're just going to get yourself killed. He's not who you think he is. You're just going to end up like Julia" he challenged. I sighed and turned so I was facing him now, propping myself up on my arm.

"You know nothing about him, so you have no place to say anything about him. And if you've forgotten, I AM half vampire. What's his venom going to do to me? No one knows," I said, glaring at him.

"Exactly! People like him fuck up everyone else's lives," he said, looking angrily triumphant. A pang shot through my chest and he frowned when he saw the change in my expression. Damen was a vampire, because I existed. Tammy was in this mess, because I existed. Adrian was a werewolf, because I existed. I don't think he realized how deep his words ran.

"Well sorry if my life has fucked up your existence," I spat at him, then turned back away from him. I closed my eyes and got comfortable, pushing back the hurt feelings. I didn't feel like crying tonight, and I wasn't going to.

"Amber," he said softly, obviously realizing what I had.

"Don't, Adrian. Just go back to bed," I said when I heard him start to get up. He paused and then sighed, before laying back down. I layed there, trying to block out all thoughts in my head. They weren't going to help me right now, and I needed some sleep to prepare for the 'big talk'. There would be a lot of them tomorrow. After what seemed a lifetime, I was finally able to drift to sleep.

When I awoke hours later, I tried desperately to hold onto the dream I was having. Something important was going to happen, but it flitted from my mind once my eyes opened. I groaned, sitting up and wished I could remember what was happening. Whenever I thought of Adrian or Damen though, my heart felt torn and I had the vague feeling that I was missing something.

"Good morning, sunshine," came Tammy's voice and I turned to see her standing in my doorway. I glanced around, noticing Adrian was missing and the bathroom door open. I frowned, wondering where he could be.

" 'Morning," I mumbled, rubbing one of my hands over my face.

"So shall we have our chat over breakfast, or would you rather wait for an audience?" she asked, carrying over a tray to me with a plate of eggs, bacon, a bagel, and some fruit. Did they think I was a pig or something? But, then again, if they had already fed Adrian, then probably.

"Let's get it over with," I said with a sigh, grinning. She smiled at me and I made room for her to sit down next to me. She set the tray in my lap, then stole a piece of bacon.

"So why didn't you tell me about everything that was going on?" she asked, leaning back against the wall casually. Tammy could adapt to any environment quickly. I picked up a bagel, taking a bite as I thought over my answer.

"I guess because I thought you didn't believe Mom's stories, and it was better for you not to know. Well, the point was to keep you out of this situation," I said, waving my arm vaguely at the room before taking another bite of my bagel.

"Oh, I believed her stories, which is part of the reason I moved to Forks. I wanted to see if they'd still be around so I could give them a piece of my mind," she said before taking a big bite out of her piece of bacon. I grinned a little. We both had the same idea in mind. "I was surprised you didn't tell me before hand when Dr. Cullen and the pack was brought up, but I wasn't going to go pointing fingers if maybe it was just a coincidence that ALL those people happened to have the same name as Bella's stories."

"Well, if I had known that then I would have told you from the first day of school. Tell Carlisle that they should pay for the hospital bills since one of them was because of Edward. That whole running into him and falling down business," I said with a nod. Her eyes widened a little and her head jerked towards me.

"HE did that to you?" she asked, incredulous. Oh.. whoops. I had forgotten to mention that part. I grinned sheepishly and nodded a little.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I've gotten him back in other ways," I said, eating more of my bagel.

"How?" she asked curious.

"Well, remember that box you gave me with the glitter?" I asked through a mouthful.

"Yeah," she said, finishing off her piece of bacon and took another one.

"I used the glitter and rigged his locker so it would go all over him. He was all glittery for the rest of the day," I said with a satisfied grin. I heard her snicker and I finished off my bagel.

"Have you been getting along with them?" she asked. I frowned a little, digging into the eggs.

"I've been pretending to get along with him. That was until all of this went down and I had to tell him who I was," I said and she nodded, shoving the whole piece of bacon in her mouth. I wondered briefly if they would be on their way over here. I doubt they'd just let me go like that, and neither would Jake. I hoped he didn't come through raising holy hell because Adrian followed me. I felt a twinge of guilt as I realized I was kind of doing the same thing Mom had done, except I had never really gotten a chance to get really close to Adrian. I had just started to consider him a friend as it was. Speaking of Adrian..

"Where is Adrian?" I asked, finishing off the eggs and grabbed the last piece of bacon.

"Oh, he and Damen went for a walk, I do believe," she said, taking a piece of fruit. I frowned, suddenly worried for both of them. Why in the world would they be together when they clearly hated each other? Well.. Adrian hated Damen, but I don't think Damen felt the same.

"Is that such a wise decision?" I asked, munching on the bacon.

"I don't know, but Damen really seemed to need to talk to him," she said with a shrug. I just hope he knew what he was getting into. We finished off the rest of the food and I filled her in on details she had missed over the past couple weeks. She always seemed to know just what to say, and she was always so understanding. When the tenor of her questions started to drift more towards Damen and Adrian, I was glad they walked into the room to save me from that discussion. It felt awkward, and I wasn't ready to discuss it with her if I wasn't stable with it yet.

I was surprised to see that Adrian wasn't glaring daggers at Damen, but actually seemed deep in thought. I frowned a little, but Damen came to sit next to me and I shifted my attention to him. He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss, and I slid my hand into his. While most people would have stayed away from him until they knew the truth, I couldn't. I wasn't going to judge him without all the facts.

"Ah, good. You're all awake," came a voice from the doorway. I looked up to see a pale, red headed man with freckles splattered on his skin and bright green eyes. He had a distant and uninterested expression on his face and I wondered why he, or any other human, would willingly work for these vampires. "If you would please come with me, my masters are anxiously awaiting to see you," he finished, and I felt Damen's hand tighten on mine. I looked over to him, and despite his calm expression, something was off. They only wanted to talk to us, right?

We all got up and walked out into the hallway. The man started walking off and we all followed dutifully in two's. Tammy and Adrian walked in front of me and Damen, who were still joined at the hands. I wondered how I was going to bring up the subject Adrian and I were talking about last night in front of all these people. I didn't want to just blurt it out and scare him, or anyone else, but I needed to know. Slowly I started walking a little slower and he shot a small, questioning frown down at me.

"Damen, why did you kill Julia?" I asked him quietly when we were far enough back to have some privacy. He stiffened a little, and I bit my bottom lip a little bit. His nostrils flared a little, and I wondered if maybe I should have asked him alone. "I'm not going to stay away from you or anything, I just want to know."

"You probably should stay away from me," he muttered, and I wondered if that was partly Adrian's influence from their talk. I wish I knew what they had talked about. "I know you won't though. I didn't want to kill her, but I needed a distraction. I stole one of Edward's shirts and when I.. killed her, I used it to plant his scent on her so the werewolves would be lead there and I could buy myself some time. When all of this is finished, I actually planned on going back to the Cullen's lifestyle, but somewhere else. They'd never accept me back," he said with a small sigh. He was right. They wouldn't, but there was nothing anyone could do now.

When we entered the chamber where we met Aro and friends before, they were all sitting in their chairs. Aro had a warm smile on his face, while Marcus still looked bored and Caius seemed to be analyzing me. The red headed man bowed to them and the rest of us kept walking forward.

"Hello, everyone. I trust you slept well?" Aro asked. I smiled up to him a bit and nodded.

"Yes, thank you. Your beds were really comfortable," I replied politely.

"That's wonderful to hear," he said, beaming a little. Adrian shifted a bit closer to me, but Tammy didn't seemed bothered by being around the vampires. I wasn't either. I was in no danger here, as far as I knew. They had no reason to kill me, or any of the rest of us, but it was only natural for Adrian to be nervous. "It's wonderful to finally meet you. You're a hard person to find," he continued. I frowned, studying him with confusion. What was he talking about? How did he know about me before Damen? Tammy had the same confused look, but the other two didn't seem to notice too much. Adrian was too tense to tell anyways.

"Never mind all of that though," he started again. "What has it been like growing up as a half vampire?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"Nothing special," I told him, cocking a brow. I guess it was just like living as a human. I wouldn't really know since I only knew the one lifestyle. He seemed slightly disappointed, but kept on.

"Do you have any special abilities or vampiric qualities?" He rested his chin onto his fist, watching me excitedly.

"They kind of come and go. Sometimes I can be really fast and see things super clear. I can hear people's thoughts sometimes, too," I rattled off, and I saw Adrian look down at me on the last one. I wonder if he was worried that I had heard something I wasn't supposed to, but since the accident most thoughts had been pretty quiet. Except Edward's..

"What about blood? Do you need it or crave it?" he continued.

"No, but I don't mind the taste of it," I said with a slight shrug and I felt Adrian stiffen even more. Great, now he probably thinks I go around sucking blood out of people or animals. I sighed mentally, and waited for the next question. Come to think of it, he should know most of this information from Adrian and Tammy, but I guess it made sense to double check.

"I see. Did anyone notice any of these traits?" he inquired, and Caius seemed to look a little anxious.

"Not that I know of. The only ones who know are Damen, Tammy, the Cullen's, and the werewolves," I said with a little frown. Had anyone else noticed. I had never told any of my other friends, but that was to protect them. I had only told Damen because I was expecting to be with him for the rest of my life. That might be possible, now, though we didn't know if I was immortal or not.

"That's wonderful," he said, breaking out into a wide smile. "How is Carlisle these days?"

"He's fine, as far as I can tell," I said, fidgeting a little. I hope he didn't expect us to be all buddy. But then again, this is Aro. He's friendly towards everyone.

"That's wonderful. Do you know if he's coming, too? I would love to catch up with him," he asked, hopeful. I smiled a little and shrugged.

"I really don't know. They might be," I said and he seemed excited. I personally was hoping to go home without them, but if they did come it would help my pocket a little.

"How about Alice and Edward? How have they been?" he kept on, and Caius seemed thoroughly bored now.

"They've been good too," I said, hoping I was right. I wonder if it had registered in his head that I wasn't on good terms with the Cullen's, or if it had slipped his mind.

"It must be so wonderful to be reunited with your family. Does anyone at your school think anything is suspicious about them?" he inquired, though I'm sure he would know if people did.

"Not that I know of. I haven't heard anything, so," I said with a shrug. I began to get the feeling that he was running out of questions, and I was a bit anxious to get out of this place. Yes, it was beautiful, but I didn't want Jacob to do anything rash, and I missed the comforts of my home.

"So," Aro said, getting up from his seat and walking towards us. Adrian stiffened a little, but Aro didn't seem to notice. "Have you given any thought as to whether you'd like to stay here or not?" he asked, standing in front of me now. Was he serious? Yes, I suppose he was. I could never live here, even if I was a vampire. It just wouldn't work for me. Adrian was visibly keeping himself together and staring at me intensely. I did my best to ignore him. His gaze made me feel guilty, even if I didn't want to stay.

"I don't know," I said uncertainly, slightly off guard. I really wasn't expecting him to ask me so soon or be so forward. I guess anytime is the best time with Aro.

"You could stay here with Damen," he said, laying a hand on Damen's shoulder. His eyes appeared to be unfocused for a moment, then a small confused frown formed on his face. "You're not allowed to do that," he told Damen. I frowned and looked up at Damen, whose hand was now gripping mine tightly.

"Allowed to do what?" Caius asked, seeming suddenly enthralled in the conversation.

"He was planning on leaving with Amber later," Aro said, turning to Caius, his hand still laying on Damen's shoulder. Caius eyes seemed to light with an eager fire, and I was thoroughly confused. Why would that be such a bad thing? I wasn't a prisoner, was I? I figured I'd be allowed to leave when I liked.

"Without permission?" Caius asked, frowning, but I could see the smirk in his eyes. Aro simply nodded and Caius stood up. "That's treason! We explained very clearly that she wasn't allowed to leave the premises without our consent first. I knew you couldn't be trusted," he accused. Suddenly, Damen's hand was ripped from mine and I saw him struggling surrounded by a group of vampires.

"What's going on?" I asked, scared now, taking a step forward.

"No, it's not like that!" Damen protested as the group dragged him towards Caius.

"Caius, you're being rash," Marcus said, in a slight monotone voice, observing everything boredly.

"He's my responsibility, or did you forget that we agreed I would take care of him, Marcus? If he's a threat, we should get rid of him now," Caius threw back, and Marcus just seemed to ignore him.

"How the hell is he a threat?" I spat, stepping forward towards Caius.

"He could have great potential and value to us, though. Think of it. He's got great restraint. Just think of the spy or tracker he could become," Aro said, turning to look at Damen in the large crowd.

"You have too many little toys, Aro. No more," he said, the fire in his clouded eyes blazing.

"I s'pose," Aro said with a deep sigh. "It's such a waste though," he finished, staring at Damen with disappointment. A wide smile erupted on Caius' face, and Damen was pushed towards him. Two vampires pinned him down and then before I could see what happened, Damen's screams filled the room.

"AMBER!"

My mind froze as I saw the scene in front of me. They were tearing him to shreds right before me. I felt the scream erupt from my chest, and I lost control. I charged forward, but before I could get very far, two large, warm arms wrapped around me, pulling me back against a chest firmly. I struggled against the restraint, screaming loudly as my vision blurred. This couldn't be happening. I couldn't possibly lose him twice! The pain I felt was worse than the heartbreak from the first time, and I couldn't believe I was still standing from it. The arms around me had something to do with that though. I still struggled though as the screams stopped and a purple smoke was sucked towards the top of the room through a ventilation system.

I felt completely broken and empty. My body finally collapsed, and I would have been glad the person stopped me from falling, but I couldn't feel anything. My world had shattered all over again, and it was still all my fault. Every where I was I only hurt people. Things always ended in destruction or disaster. I wasn't aware of anything except the purple smoke, even as the room seemed to get much more crowded. Memories of the two of us ran through my head, lashing at my soul, making the pain that much worse. How could so many bad things happen to one person? My hand tingled slightly where his hand once was. The exact opposite as the time with Mom.. Why must all good things in my life end horribly?

My vision waved a little, and a face came into view. I couldn't see them though. Nothing was registering to me right now except pain. It washed over my body in waves, stopping me from moving. It was probably the only thing keeping me here right now. I didn't want to go back to reality, where it would be real. Where everything would be confirmed and final. I felt a twinge at my arm and I turned my head to see another person. Their voice was muted, and I stared at them blankly, not aware of who they were.

My restraint lifted me into strong arms, and moved past bodies towards the back of the room. Some faces were starting to look familiar, and voices were becoming clearer. I felt panic start to rise up in me. I didn't want to face reality yet! My body was over ruling me though, as I started to comprehend things around me. My body felt like it was about to explode from pain and unwillingly, I settled into the arms of the person holding me.

"Was that really necessary, Caius?" a voice said, and I looked to see Alice glaring at the man. He only looked at her with an indignant expression on his face.

"I'm sorry you had to come at such a bad time," Aro said, obviously pleased to see the Cullens. My eyes drifted up towards Marcus, whose bored expression rested on mine. Despite his uninterested manner, I felt something pass between us, but he looked away before I could explore more about it.

"I'm sorry we didn't come in time," Alice retorted, and her gaze drifted onto mine. She knew this was going to happen? I frowned, the cogs in my brain slowly starting to move. I looked around, seeing everyone but Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper. Esme was standing next to a distressed Tammy. Carlisle was next to Aro. Edward was standing off to the side, his fists and jaw clenched as he glared daggers at Caius, along with Alice.

"Ah, Edward! It's so good to see you. I've been meaning to have a talk with you," Aro said, walking up towards his chair where two other vampires were disposing of the remains. I felt a sob build up in my chest, and my vision blurred as the warm tears spilled out even more now.

"Is that so?" he asked through his clenched jaw, turning his attention to Aro.

"Yes. I'm so very sorry for your loss," Aro said with an apologetic frown. "If we had known it would have turned out this way, we would have done things differently," he said when Edward didn't reply. That sparked his, and several others interests, as we all turned to look at him confused.

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked, his expression curious, yet furious.

"Bella, of course. When we sent some people to visit you the time before, we discovered that Bella was pregnant. We wanted to see how Bella would handle things on her own. Honestly, we didn't expect you not to figure out or try to see her," Aro told him, sitting down and giving him a slightly surprised look. Edward's expression turned deadly and I heard a snarl erupt from his chest. Several other vampires tensed up, looking ready to pounce and Aro seemed not to notice.

"You used her as an experiment?!" he asked, incredulous.

"Not entirely. We did it to get her to join us as well. Unfortunately, we should have sent a different person to ask her. We sent Jane, and I had overlooked how she didn't like Bella. Instead of telling us she said no, she took matters into her own hands. When she came back, we took care of her," Aro told him, as if it made up for everything else. Carlisle walked over to Edward, whispering something to him.

"Did you expect to just use Amber as an experiment too?" he snapped, and he seemed to be much more in check with his anger. The cogs were starting to move faster as I looked between Edward and Aro. So, they had more to do with Mom's death than he did? But, even Aro said, they were surprised he didn't try to see Mom. My head hurt from my still flowing tears and earlier screams, and all this information wasn't making anything better.

"You've got it all wrong, Edward," Aro said with a frown.

"I do?" he asked, angrily, but Carlisle stepped forward.

"I think it's time we take Amber back with us, Aro," he said, slightly standing in front of the furious Edward. Aro gave a childish pout, and Caius looked about ready to protest before he was cut off by several glares.

"Fine," he said, giving in. "I hope you all do come see us again." Was he kidding me? I never wanted to set foot in this place ever again. Carlisle only gave a business like nod, then everyone left, some with a little urging. I discovered then I was in Adrian's arms, but I couldn't bring myself to look up at him. I didn't want to know what his expression would be. I noticed already that his shoulder was soaked from my tears.

Several people stared at us curiously, but I slowly pulled back into myself, ignoring everything around me. I had hoped to be leaving with Damen by my side, holding my hand. He could have gotten a place somewhere in Washington and when I got out of high school I could have gone to live with him. The pain washed over me again and my vision blurred back out again. I was glad I couldn't see. I didn't want to see the expressions on everyone's faces.

I knew we were outside when I felt a cold blast surround me, but Adrian's arm pulled me closer to him. It wasn't long until I was slid into a seat. I dropped my head down, curling myself towards the now closed door, trying to make myself as small as possible. I didn't want to exist. I wanted to be with Damen again. I messed up everyone's life. Mom's, Edward's, Jacob's, Damen's, and Adrian's. Who knows who else. A bag was placed next to my feet, and I guessed it was my travel bag.

Before I could protest, two cold hands had pulled me away from the door and started to wrestle something soft and warm over my head. I looked up to see Alice sliding a cream colored sweater over my head. Once she successfully had it on me, she handed me a pair of what looked like matching pajama pants. I couldn't tell, but I cooperated enough to put them on.

"There, now you won't be so cold," she told me, flashing me a little smile. I appreciated her concern, and genuinely want to smile back, but I couldn't bring myself to. Instead, I looked back down at the floor. "I wish I could do something with your hair, but you'll have to do," Alice said as the car came to a stop. I glanced out the window to see we were at the airport from a couple days ago. I refused to let anyone assist me in walking. I was emotionally and mentally crippled, not physically. We got through security rather quickly and I refused to eat this time when Adrian and Tammy tried to make me. I had no appetite and the smell of it made me sick to my stomach.

When we finally boarded the plane, I was seated next to Adrian. Alice and Jasper were in front of me. Edward and Tammy were next to them and Carlisle and Esme were behind them. The sun was just going down after we took off, so the windows could stay open. Not like there was much to see anyways. Both flights went by quietly and very slowly. The only difference was that Adrian actually slept on the way back to Port Angeles, instead of shooting worried glances at me. Once we arrived in Port Angeles, I was surprised to see Jacob waiting out front with his Rabbit, Tammy's bug, and a black, sleek Mercedes that I assumed belonged to Carlisle. Jacob looked over us, relief washing over his face when he saw Adrian. He started forward towards him until he saw me and stopped.

"What happened?" he asked, confused, now taking in the somber feeling emanating from the group.

"We need to talk," Edward said, walking to Jacob's Rabbit and got in. Jacob frowned, but walked over to Adrian. He embraced the boy tightly, and said something to him that I didn't catch. Adrian only nodded his head though and headed for the bug. I frowned as he got into the driver's seat, but Tammy came over and embraced me much like Jacob had Adrian. I felt the tears slide down my cheek, and it wasn't until more people started to come around that she let go of me. We slid into the backseat, and she let me cry on her shoulder the whole, quiet, painful way home.

--

**It's nothing like how I saw it in my head. **

**Well, the sad part. **

**I tried to write it, but it wasn't working for me. **

**I couldn't get the words to just flow like I wanted, but I promised myself that I would actually finish this story. **

**I kind of started another project under Naruto. **

**I'd tell you the name, but I'm re-doing the whole 2 chapters I have up. **

**I hope you weren't disappointed and I'll get the next one out much sooner. **


	19. Piecing Myself Together

**So, here it is! The much anticipated and waited for next chapter. **

**I appreciate all the reviews and kicks in the butt to get going again.**

**It means a lot me to know that I have such amazing readers. : )**

**I've been so busy, and I was supposed to be doing an essay instead of finishing this chapter, but shh. **

**I won't tell if you won't. **

**The next chapter is going to take a little bit too, but definitely not as long as this one did.**

**Well, read and enjoy!  
**

**--**

_**Adrian's P.O.V**_

When we arrived at Amber's house, she was asleep. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. If it wasn't for the tear streaks on her face and the puffiness of her eyes, you'd never guess she had just endured a tragedy. I carefully picked her up from the car, trying not to wake her up. Tammy went on ahead and opened the door. I carried her into the house and Tammy pointed silently to the stairs. I nodded and slowly walked up to the second story. I walked down the hall a little until I found a slightly ajar door that led to a dark blue room.

I nudged the door open with my foot and looked around at the posters, odds and ends, and everything else that made the room feel just like Amber. She shifted a little and curled in towards my chest, and my heart ached. I wondered if she was dreaming of what happened just hours ago. There was nothing I could do either. I frowned and set her down carefully onto her bed, and pulled her covers over her. No one should have ever had to witness something like that. Especially not her.

I reached down, gently brushing some of her hair from her face. Her skin was soft and smooth. I had been mentally beating myself up for being such an asshole when I first met her. If only I knew then what I knew now. Back then life was just fun and games. I had been determined then to get her to like me even before I imprinted, but now.. It would be best for me not to push her. It hurt to know that I may never have a chance now after all this, but the fact that I was going to help her through this made up for it. She'd never be alone again, and I would do everything in my power to make sure she'd never be hurt again.

"Damen… no…." she whispered in her sleep, her face becoming troubled. It tore at my heart to see her in pain, but I didn't know how to comfort her when she probably wouldn't want me around. Some tears slid down her cheek and I crouched down next to her bed a bit, wiping them away.

"Amber," I said softly, torn between wanting to let her sleep and wanting to wake her up and trying to help her. Sleep was probably best right now. I straightened up and turned to leave before her hand shot out and grabbed onto mine. I froze, wondering if she had woken up and turned back to her.

"Adrian… don't leave me too," she pleaded, and I saw she was still asleep. She was dreaming of me? I grasped her hand softly and leaned down towards her, kissing her forehead lightly.

"I'll never leave you, Amber," I whispered, and her troubled face relaxed. Her hand went limp in mine, and I set it down carefully on the bed. I turned to see Tammy standing off to the side of the room, watching Amber with worried, tear filled eyes.

"Give her time," she whispered to me, not taking her eyes off Amber. I sighed with a small frown. Would Amber ever be able to move on from this? I tried to put myself in her shoes, and I knew instantly that I would never be able to move on if it had been her. How could I expect her to move on from him? I had been fooling myself from the beginning.

"You should get some rest, too, Tammy," I said, then walked out of the room. I made my way out of the house, despite how much it hurt to leave.

How could Damen expect me to make her happy again?

_**Jacob's P.O.V**_

The car ride back from Port Angeles was awkward enough with _him_ in my car, but after what he told me, it was even worse. I didn't like feeling sympathy for the leech, but I did. However, I was angry enough so that it didn't show as much. That didn't matter though. He knew everything I was thinking anyways, so there was no way to hide. Fucking vampire powers.

I had been starting to slowly try to understand vampires more and not hate them as much. I knew that's what Bells would have wanted, even if she wasn't around anymore. That idea was dead now. All my anger had come back full force and Edward even had to take care of the steering wheel while I calmed down. I wondered how Amber was taking the information. Edward had told me about everything that had happened, starting with her. That part was easier to explain. I could almost see what happened from his words.

"It was horrible. You could hear the screams from miles away. I don't know whose was worse. Hers or his. I had hoped to stop it when Alice got the premonition, but you'd figure I'd learn by now that I never can. I had never seen such desperation before. The way she clawed at Adrian's arms and tried to save him. I'd swear if it wasn't for Adrian holding her back, she probably would have been killed too. He was having a hard time restraining her. I don't think she realized what she was doing. When she finally collapsed, the dead look in her eyes.. It still haunts me. It was just like hers when I left," he finished softly. The image of Bella in the forest after Edward left the first time flashed through my head. No one should have to experience that level of pain. Edward didn't comment on that. "She didn't even seem to know what was going on around her. She had withdrawn completely into herself, and I was worried she wouldn't come back out at first. We tried to get her out, but," he started, but clenched his jaw and fists, unable to go on.

After that he had explained the rest of what happened, and I was glad I couldn't have gone, because I would have lost control. Once that story was finished, we kept as far from that topic as we could, instead talking about Amber.

_**Edward's P.O.V**_

Amber.. I hadn't felt pain in so long. I had shut things out of my world after that day when Jane and Demitri explained to me that I had to leave Bella right then or they would kill her. Even if I may have been able to take them on with the rest of my family, I didn't want to take the chance to have any of them die or start a war. Or even worse, kill Bella. I fought their decision as best I could. I was even going to just take her and run, but they kept close at all times. And when she believed me when I told her it just 'wasn't there anymore', it tore a hole inside of me, sucking up any emotions I had for a long time.

Then, when Amber had appeared, just as beautiful and mysterious as Bella, those dormant emotions burst out and I didn't know what to do. The others had noticed too, and they promised to help. I think most of it was that they were happy to see me with some emotion. That night though, when I knew for certain who she was, her rejection lashed at me painfully. I wasn't going to give up though. I wanted so much for her to accept me, but after hearing everyone's minds, except hers, I knew it was never going to happen. Even Tammy didn't think it was fixable. Tammy had gotten her accusations and angry questions out of the way, but with everything that happened, even her fire had been diminished to embers.

Maybe Amber was right and Jacob would be the best father for her. He was alive, warm, human. He was strong, and already had a kid. He would take care of her just as well as I would, if not better. That's who she wanted anyways. How could I have missed all the signs from the beginning? Jacob insisted I try, but he knew just like me that it probably wouldn't work. When Jacob pulled off to the side of the road so that the boundaries wouldn't be crossed, I opened the door to his car, and started to get out.

"Edward..?" Jacob started. _Are you really sure you want to do this? _I heard his words as if he had spoken them and nodded.

"Yes, Jacob. I am. There's nothing left I can do," I said, and winced at the sting of defeat. Jacob sighed, and I closed the car door, speeding off towards home.

_**Amber's P.O.V**_

I opened my tired eyes slowly, blinking to try and get things into focus. I looked around realizing I was home, in my room. The pain washed over me as once again, and I knew it was true. Unfixable and permanent. I curled myself into a ball, not wanting to leave my bed. I didn't even know if I had the strength to. I laid there for god knows how long, letting the tears silently stream down my face. When I finally couldn't take just laying in bed anymore, I got out and stood there for a minute, letting my body slowly wake up. Once I knew I could walk and not fall over, I went to my closet and got out some clothes.

I walked silently, ghost like to the bathroom and set my clothes down on the sink. I looked up unwillingly into the mirror and was shocked by what I saw. My hair was everywhere. My face was red and blotchy, and my eyes were puffy. If it wasn't for the redness, I'd be white as snow. I looked sick, and I guess it made sense. I looked away and took off the clothes Alice had put on me. I turned on the water and got in, closing the curtain. The darkness seemed to comfort me, and I lifted the thing on the faucet, not even jumping when the initial cold water showered over me before turning to warm. I stood there for minutes, letting the warmth try to wash away the coldness I felt throughout my body. It wasn't working and instead I just went through my normal shower routine.

Once I finished, dried off, dressed, and had my hair up, I decided to go downstairs. Tammy was sitting on her couch, watching some movie and looked up when she heard me. She smiled softly, and I knew she had been crying too. She turned down the volume before setting the remote down and standing up. Her dark blue eyes had lost most of their puffiness, and her wavy black hair had been pulled back into ponytail that she usually had.

"Do you want something to eat?" she asked softly. I only shook my head and she looked a little uncomfortable. "Do you want to go out for a little while?" I frowned a little, wondering why she was acting funny. I didn't really want to. I wanted to stay inside away from anyone else who I could hurt or hurt me.

"Not really, why?" I asked, shifting my body towards the stairs.

"Well.. uh, I kind of told Edward that when you woke up we'd go over to see them," she admitted, locking eyes with me. I stiffened, but I could tell by the look in her eye that I wouldn't win if I tried to fight her. She'd probably just invite them over or something. I sighed, rubbing one of my hands over my face, before walking to the door. I slid on my extra pair of sneakers since my other ones were upstairs, and put on my jacket.

"Let's get this done and over with," I muttered, opening the door and headed for her bug. She wasn't too far behind me as I slid into the passengers seat. She didn't say anything to me on the way over. She was probably just happy that I didn't give her a hard time. I wasn't looking forward to what was ahead of me, but I knew it had to be done. I started to prepare myself, but what was the point? I had nothing left to lose. When we finally got to their house from the long driveway, Carlisle and Edward were waiting for us on the porch.

We parked off to the side and I looked around, wondering where in the world my car was. Tammy and I got out of the car, and a small wave of awkwardness ran over me. Tammy urged me forward to the hesitant Carlisle and Edward, and I kept my eyes down. They made it easier and walked down to greet us as well, and I wondered if everyone else was inside.

"Tammy, Amber, I'm glad to see you came," Carlisle said with an uneasy smile.

"Of course we would. Surprisingly she came without an argument," Tammy admitted for me, and for some reason it made me feel guilty. If it had been 3 days ago and she had said that we were coming here, I would have thrown a fit.

"Please, come inside," Carlisle said, leading Tammy towards the stairs. When Edward hung back, I knew that I wasn't supposed to go in too. After all, what would have been the point of putting us all in one room to talk things out? I would have been outnumbered and uncomfortable and we would have gotten nowhere. He didn't say anything, but simply walked off towards the garage. I followed, and when he opened the door to reveal all the cars they had, I was shocked. They looked much cooler than Mom's stories.

"Which one would you like to take?" he asked, and I glanced up at him. He was looking around the room instead of at me, and I couldn't blame him. I looked around until my eyes fell on a black car other than the Mercedes.

"That one," I said, and he nodded. _Vanquish, _was the word whispered in my head. We walked over to it and he opened my door. I slid into the passengers seat, surprised that his act of chivalry didn't make me feel uncomfortable. Maybe it was because he knew the truth of everything now. He was in the driver's seat almost right after he closed my door, and when he turned on the car, an unfamiliar band started playing.

"If you want, you can put something else in," he said, pulling out of the garage.

"It's fine," I said, sliding my seat belt on. We drove away in silence, and I wondered if he was unsure about how to start this conversation as I was. I sifted through things in my head, trying to think of something to say or ask to break the silence, but I didn't know which to pick first. He took matters into his own hands though.

"Amber.. I," he started, then faltered a little. It seemed unlike him from what I was told, but under the circumstances, I understood. "I know that you hate me, and I don't blame you, but I want you to know the whole story," he said, then turned on a road I was unfamiliar with. Normally I would have been worried, but deep down I knew I needed to trust him.

"Alright, I'm listening," I said, softly, when he didn't immediately start with the story. This seemed to be the cue he had been waiting for.

"I didn't want to leave Bella. Never in my life have I ever loved someone so much, and never in my life have I experienced so much pain. In order for her and I to be together, Alice promised Aro that she would be changed, and he promised that they'd check up to see if we kept with our promise. No one expected them to come so quickly. Before we could even make plans after the fight with Victoria, Jane and Demitri were telling me to leave her or she died. I tried to fight it with all my might, but it eventually got to the point where they followed me everywhere. I wasn't going to put my family in a compromising situation, and I didn't want them to kill her. So, I did the foolish thing and left her," he said, gripping the steering wheel tightly. I took in what he said, frowning slowly. It made sense to me, surprisingly. I probably would have done the same thing if it had been.. Damen. I would have come back though.

"Why didn't you ever come back?" I accused softly. Even if his story did make sense, he wasn't getting off that easy. "Even though they told you to leave her, how would they have known if you went back to her later?" I pushed, turning to him a little now. He clenched his jaw, and I felt an angry bubble forming in my chest. "Why didn't you come back?"

"When she believed me.. when she thought I meant that I didn't love her anymore.. You have no idea how much that killed me. To think she could just accept that .. It was inconceivable. I could never stop loving her. I guess I was hesitant since she accepted it so well. I wondered if maybe she was glad to be rid of me.. or maybe that I'd just hurt her worse because I'd have to leave again," he explained. He started to slow the car, pulling off to the side of the road.

"Are you stupid?" I retorted, glaring at him, and he seemed shocked for a moment. "All she ever wanted was you, Edward. You were all she talked about, all she thought about. She didn't sleep for the longest time, thinking that you would come back in the night for her. I could probably recite her stories for you from hearing them so much. But, you know what made everything worse?" I asked, glaring at him angrily, ignoring the fact that he stopped the car. "I reminded her of you. Every minute of every day. Whenever she saw me, I could see the pain in her eyes. I was all she had left, and how could I help her when all I did was constantly remind her of why she was depressed in the first place?" I breathed in deeply, tears prickling at my eyes again. I clenched my fists, but he turned and looked me straight in the eye. Though the tears were blurring my vision, they couldn't blur out what I saw there in his eyes. I had never seen such an intense sadness. The pain, remorse, and guilt tore at my already tattered heart. Never had I seen him, or anyone, look at me the way he did. I knew it immediately, without a doubt in my mind, that he was truly and completely sorry.

"Amber, I never meant for any of this. I know you want nothing to do with me, so I'm going to make it easier on you. My family and I.. we're leaving tomorrow morning," he told me sadly. Suddenly, like a bucket of water had been poured over me, I felt guilty. I felt selfish, cruel, foolish, and undeserving. How could I have treated another person so cruelly for something I didn't even know the whole truth to? And now I was making him leave. I really was a horrible person. I realized then that I really didn't want him to leave. Here he was, letting his walls down, admitting defeat. Three days ago I would have been cheering, but now.. The tears spilt over as a sob escaped my lips. I opened the car door and got out hastily.

"Amber?" he asked, and I heard his door open as well. Though everything was blurry shapes, I ran around the front of the car to his side of the car and launched myself against him in the fiercest hug I had ever given. He went rigid with shock. I buried my head into his chest, sobbing loudly and I felt his arms wrap around me slowly. I had messed up, big time. I felt so selfish for wanting him to stay, but now that I had him, I wasn't ready for him to go again. I had lost everything and gained so much back. I wasn't ready for that to be taken away from me.

"Don't go," I said through sobs. He was silent for a moment, then reached up, bringing my head up to face his.

"What are you talking about, Amber?" he asked, his onyx eyes confused, yet hopeful.

"I don't want you to go," I chocked out. When he only frowned, I went on. "I know it's selfish, and that I don't deserve to make requests after everything I've done, but I know now that I was wrong all along. You were never the bad guy. After everything that's happened, I don't think I can stand losing you too. Can you forgive me.. Dad?" I asked, sniffling and trying to hold back my tears so I could actually talk. His eyes widened slowly, and he seemed honestly shocked. Then, without warning, he wrapped his arms around me tightly, pulling me close.

"I'd do anything for you, Amber," he said, and the happiness in his voice brought on another round of tears. I was so relieved, and with all the emotional extremes that I had experienced lately, my walls just crumbled the rest of the way. I clung to him tightly, letting the tears flow freely. I cried for Damen, for Adrian, for happiness, for Edward, and most of all, for Mom. I know that she would never have wanted me to do this to him. I missed her so much, and I wish that she could be here with me now, to see this. That reminded me..

"Dad?" I asked, bringing my head up to look up at him.

"You don't have to call me that if you don't want to," he said, smiling down at me a little.

"I know, but I want to," I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. His eyes danced when I said that. "Remember that charm bracelet you and Jacob made for Mom?"

"Yes," he said, frowning a little. I pulled back a little and he dropped his arms. I shivered a little, realizing how cold he really was, but brushed it off. I reached up and pulled my necklace out from under my t-shirt. I held it up and his eyes seemed riveted to the two charms dangling at the end of it.

"Mom gave it me before she died. I was never a bracelet person, so I put it on a necklace instead. Did you want it back, in memory of her?" I asked, getting ready to take it off. He reached up and stopped me though.

"No, you keep it. I have more than enough to remind me of her," he said with a small smile, and I dropped the necklace back down. The empty void inside me was slowly starting to fill up, and I couldn't help but smile a little. There would always be a spot for Damen and Mom, but I knew I couldn't dwell on those things.

"We should probably start getting back," I said, and when he nodded, I walked over to my still open door and got in. After closing it and buckling up, Edward started off again. The rest of the way I told him about old memories of Mom, at schools, with friends and of the different places I lived at. He said he'd save his end for another day, right now he just wanted to hear about me. Besides, I had heard so many stories about him and he knew nothing about me. I told him that I was the one who rigged his locker that one day and he burst out laughing. He admitted it was clever, but given the circumstances at the time, it was frightening. Even Alice was upset since she didn't see it ahead of time. She hadn't seen much to do with me, but Edward thought that was because it seemed I made my decisions rashly. After the prediction about what happened in Italy, she had several others, but Edward didn't believe them until I had accepted him. When I asked what they were, he refused to tell me though. I shared some of my favorite bands with him, and he admitted to not having heard of some of them. He even offered to show me his collection. Once we pulled into the driveway, I saw that Alice was waiting for us outside.

"I told you," she said as we got out of the car. Edward just threw her a playful glare and she seemed delighted. She danced down the stairs towards me. "Welcome to the family, Amber," she said, hugging me cheerfully. This time I didn't feel repulsed and returned the hug just as happy. She linked her arm with mine and dragged me up towards the house. Everyone seemed shocked when Alice and I burst through the front door, arm in arm, but it was something we'd all have to get used to. I glanced around at everyone. Tammy who wasn't blessed with supernatural hearing was glancing between the two of us, hopeful. I nodded to her and she gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen.

"So, I guess this means I'll have to start calling you grandpa and grandma," I said, looking over at Carlisle and Esme. Emmett burst out laughing with everyone else. Even Rosalie laughed.

"You really don't have to, dear," Esme said, smiling.

"Alright," I started, returning the smile. "It'd be kind of weird to call someone who looks like they're in their late 20's my grandma or grandpa anyways."

"Please, have a seat, Amber," Carlisle said, indicating to the half empty couch where Emmett was sitting with Rosalie on the arm of it.

"Alright," I said and Alice unlinked arms with me to go sit with Jasper. I went and sat down next to the grinning Emmett, Edward quickly following suit. I had always felt comfortable around Emmett to begin with, but I never knew why. I assumed it had to do with his playful nature and that even though he was easily the most intimidating one in looks, I knew he was a big teddy bear. Besides, if it weren't for him, I'd probably of never understood my math homework.

I looked around at my newly accepted family. Jasper and Alice were definitely the 'weird' aunt and uncle of the family, but the ones everyone loves to hang out with anyway. Then there was Emmett and Rosalie. They reminded me of the type where the uncle is a blast, but the aunt is a little weird to be around. Not that she doesn't care, but she has a hard time showing it. I wondered if Rosalie would be like that now. I know she really didn't care for my mother, but she hasn't shown any signs of liking or disliking me really. Next I looked at Carlisle and Esme. They would have accepted me even if I had 20 eyes and 5 arms. They were the best grandparents ever. And since everyone had loads of money I could see things such as college not being a problem. I would never just use them for their money though, and probably want to pay them back though I'm sure they all had fortunes to rival Bill Gates. Then I looked to Edward to see him staring down at me happily. I couldn't help but smile. I had probably made him one of the happiest people in the world and I knew he would make the best Dad anyone could ever have. I had to be one of the luckiest people ever to have a family like this. Even Tammy seemed to fit in with them. I could see myself now out shopping with Alice and maybe even Rosalie, getting a whole new wardrobe. What I really couldn't wait for though was a stormy spring day so I could go up and watch them play baseball.

"So, this means you're not leaving anymore, right?" I asked tentatively, the thought popping into my head suddenly. I looked around at all their unsure faces when no one responded, my heart beat starting to pick up. They couldn't leave. Not after all of this.

"We're not sure yet," Carlisle started, his hand squeezing Esme's. "The whole situation with Damen has us in a bit of a tight spot since it was well known that he lived with us. The investigation is making it difficult for us to live comfortably, though we are sure they have no suspicions as to what we are. If we were to leave now it would seem even more suspicious, but after we are cleared we should be able to leave freely. Given the new circumstances, however, I don't see us leaving anytime soon," he finished. I couldn't stop the huge grin that spread across my face. They were staying! I felt my chest swell as I thought about all the things we could do as a family now. I felt like I was slowly becoming whole again. Yet, I felt like I was forgetting something.

"There is one issue left though," Edward said, cautiously. I looked up at him frowning.

"Edward," Carlisle warned. "Is now really the right time for that?"

"She has to hear about it at some point," he said, then turned to me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused now as I looked between the two.

"The recent events have made things tense between us and the werewolves," Carlisle said, stiffening. "Some think we accepted Damen into our home knowingly and approve of what happened. They're on the verge of splitting and no matter what we try to do to negotiate with them falls on deaf ears. They refuse to listen to us. They're livid with Adrian and Jacob for helping us, and we're afraid a war is about to break out."

"If this happens, then we will be forced to leave," Edward said and I felt my breath catch in my throat. I had totally forgotten about the werewolves. About Jake and Adrian. They were all there to witness the truth of the situation. What was there to question? If this was true then that meant I could lose everything over again. My new family, Jacob, and.. Adrian. No, I would not let this happen. I shook my head slowly. I needed to get to La Push.

"Amber?" Edward said hesitantly, as if seeing the wheels turning in my head. I snapped my head up and looked at him.

"Take me to La Push," I said, getting up.

"What?"

"Amber, you can't," Esme said, a frown crossing her face.

"They'll tear you apart," Carlisle said, shaking his head.

"I can't just sit here and let this happen! It's my fault to begin with and I will not just sit here and twiddle my thumbs, waiting. I'm the only one who can cross the border here besides Tammy and Adrian and Jake would not let them hurt me," I snapped at them, standing next to the front door.

"And if something happens to you we won't let them get away with it," Emmett said, with a low growl.

"You'll be giving them the exact tools they want to start this war," Jasper added, sitting up a bit.

"Either someone take me to La Push or I will walk all the way there. I will not let you stop me on this. We have to do _something_!" I yelled, opening the door in emphasis.

"I'll take you," Alice said and suddenly appeared in front of me.

"Alice! What are you talking about?" Tammy asked now. "You can't cross the border."

"No, but I can get her there the fastest. She's right. Something has to be done, and she's just the one to do it," Alice said with a knowing look, smiling in a 'that's that' manner, and headed out the door.

"I'm coming to," Edward declared, quickly following her, but she turned and shook her head.

"No, Edward. You stay here. If you come you'll only be tempted to cross the border after her. I will go and let you know what's going on," she said and beckoned me closer. Edward only glared down at her, obviously wanting to challenge her, but then turned and hugged me tightly. I was too initially shocked to hug back, and before I could he had already went back inside. "Let's go."

"How are we getting there?" I asked, walking down with her down to the lawn.

"I'm carrying you on my back," she said, smiling up at him. I was about to ask her if she was crazy but then the thought of how fast I would get there convinced me.

"Okay, just.. don't crash or something," I said, moving to her back.

"Don't worry, I won't," she said, laughing merrily as I jumped onto her back. Once I had a good hold on her she shot off. Everything blurred past me and I ended up holding on tighter. I heard her laugh again and I had to close my eyes. It looked like we were about to crash into trees every split second and I wondered if she was doing that on purpose. One it finally felt like we weren't moving anymore I opened my eyes to see that she had stopped a little bit past where my house was.

"Is this it?" I asked, climbing down and trying not to fall. She reached out and held my arm still I got steady.

"Yes. I'm in the no man's land area right now. It shouldn't take you too long to get there by foot. They're at the beach. I'll be waiting for you to get back," she said, and I heard the double meaning in her words. If I didn't come back, or if they thought I was in danger, then someone would be in to get me. I nodded and then ran off in the direction of the beach.

**--**

**So yeah, I thought the last half of this sucked, but I had nothing. **

**I haven't been in story writing mode in a while, so I'm dusting myself off a little. **

**I hope you all enjoyed it though. **

**I've got the next one started, but now I have to get that essay done too.**

**That and I have a research paper to do, book to read, and then a book report. **

**My english teacher hates us. : (**

**Anyways. Thank you for waiting so long! I hope it was worth it. **

**I think the next one might be interesting if I can do what I want with it. **


	20. It's The Final Countdown

**Again, sorry about the wait! **

**I've had absolutely no ambition to work on this story. **

**Thank the New Moon movie for finally getting me around to it. **

**That, and my cousin. She kicked my butt about it a little bit. **

**So, here it is. The last chapter. **

**--**

There was no one out and about today, and I was glad for that, though it was slightly creepy. Alice was right, it wasn't too far off. I burst out of the trees into the sand, stumbling slightly. I looked around and saw them a little farther down. It seemed no one had seen me so I went back into the coverage of the trees and snuck down to where they were, trying to control my breathing.

"Stop defending them, Jacob. I thought you were on our side," one man said that I didn't know. It seemed like almost all of La Push was down there. Even non werewolves were there. I saw Emily off to the side with a few of the other women, looking frightened and worried. I saw that they all seemed to be separated to sides. Sam was on one side with most of the tribe behind him. Behind Jacob I saw Adrian, and I didn't even bother to look at the rest of them. He looked sick and tired. I wondered if he had even slept last night. The sight of him tore at my heart and I wanted to run out and hold him.

"I am on your side. You should all know better than anyone that I would never help them," Jacob spat at the man, who only glared at him.

"The evidence is against you, Jacob! You went with them against Sam's orders. You KNEW about this Damen guy and never bothered to tell us about him. I don't believe that you were so in the dark considering how close you and that girl are," another man shouted out.

"Oh, give me a break. If he had any idea that the new leech had been this Damen guy then I doubt he, or the blood suckers, would have let him get anywhere close to humans," a woman from Jacob's side yelled, and I wondered if it was Leah.

"Besides, he's dead. What's the point in all of this?" Adrian yelled out now, glaring at the opposing side.

"It still stands that you took up sides with them against my orders, Adrian," Sam said now. "And there's no way they could have been blinded to his true nature. That one can read minds, the other one can predict the future, and they all just happened to go on a hunting trip without him? These things don't add up. They accepted him into their home and therefore have broken the treaty," he continued, speaking to everyone, seeming to try and convince them. Wow, I really do make a mess of everything. I edged around, looking for a good opening while keeping hidden. He had a small point with one thing. Why didn't Edward pick up on him?

"You were all there to see their surprise. They didn't know any more than the rest of us did. If anything they knew less about this guy," another man shouted out.

"What has gotten into you all?! I never imagined WEREWOLVES would become a bunch of leech lovers," one man yelled out, sneering.

"Shut your mouth, Paul. If you'd actually listen you'd all understand what's going on," Jacob snapped back.

"This is all because of that stupid little girl," one man grumbled.

"Don't call her a stupid little girl," Adrian snapped, his eyes flaring. I felt an odd feeling well up inside me, but I couldn't identify it as I watched him.

"Well, it's the truth! If that stupid leech lover hadn't of come into the area and screwed everything up then we wouldn't be having this problem," he continued, stepping forward now.

"Watch your mouth, Dee," Jacob started, but hurried to try and restrain Adrian.

"You don't know anything about her, Dee!" he yelled at him around Jacob.

"You see what she's done to this tribe?" Sam said, stepping into the middle of the semi circle. "She causes just as much trouble as they do. It's obviously in her genes. None of this would have happened if we hadn't of allowed her into our community. I don't care if she's Bella's daughter, Jacob. She's an abomination and we should have cut all ties with her once we learned that. It's because of her that so many of our friends and family have recently changed. We would not be having this dispute if she had not brought her trail of problems with her."

"Are you saying you doubt me, Sam? You don't believe me, the truth that you've seen right there in your own head?" Jacob snarled, turning and approaching him now.

"We never should have trusted her, Jacob. She could have just been helping them the whole time," he said, glaring at Jacob as he got in his face.

"She hates their guts, you idiot! No one can fake something like that. You were right there to see that. If she was on their side she wouldn't have treated them the way she did," Jacob yelled at him, his body shaking slightly.

"You're letting your love blind the truth. I figured you would have learned by now that they're not to be trusted," Sam snarled.

"Don't bring the past into this, Sam. Just open your eyes! The truth is right in front of you," Jacob yelled. I could see they were getting nowhere. I didn't even understand what the issue truly was with all this. It seemed like Sam was just trying to make a fight out of nothing. Clinging to old beliefs and issues.

"The treaty has been broken, Jacob, by a Cullen! That is means for war," Sam continued, refusing to back down. I could see Adrian off to the side, fists clenched, obviously ready to pounce. I figured now was a better time than any to jump in. I walked out quickly from the trees, causing several people to jump and gasp out if initial shock. A murmur quickly spread through the crowd as Sam and Jacob both frowned and turned to me at the same time.

"Amber?" Adrian said, shock ringing in his voice as he started walking towards me.

"What are you doing here, Amber?" Jacob asked, walking towards me too. Both looked worried and concerned, but I ignored them and locked eyes with a sneering Sam.

"What is your problem?" I asked, sneering back at him. "All of you?" I finished looking around at the people on his side.

"Our problem is you, abomination," one man called out. Adrian growled and looked like he was about ready to charge him, but I placed my hand calmly on his chest.

"Abomination, am I? Listen here, people. You're not any different. None of us had the choice in becoming what we are and neither are socially accepted by all. You would all be considered abominations if your secret got out. We're just different kinds of abominations. If you want to sit there and bring me down for something I had no control over, just like all of you, then fine, but listen to what I have to say," I started, now standing in the middle of everyone, looking around at them all. A silence had fallen over all of them and I felt all eyes on me. Some faces were shocked, some tense, others furious, but I didn't care.

"I had always been on the werewolves side in this long fight of yours since my mother told me about it when I was little. I always thought good for the werewolves! Kick some vampire ass. Show 'em who's boss, but now.. it all just seems so silly! Think about it, honestly. Where has this grudge ever gotten you? Where is this stupid fight going to get you? All that's going to happen is people are going to get hurt, possibly die, on both sides. The grudge will still be there, the Cullens might move away, but what will be the point?" I asked, looking around challengingly at all of them.

"Those stupid blood suckers will finally be gone, that's the point!" one man yelled out and a small murmur of agreement spread through part of the crowd. Before another fight could start again, I claimed back their attention.

"Yes, the Cullens will be gone. You'll have all the land to yourselves unless they decide to come back. But what about when other vampires come into the area? What will you do then? Fight them? Lose more people? There may be a lot of you, but you're not always together. So, say you kill off that vampire. More will gradually come around once they learn that this area is no longer the Cullens. What will you do? Continue to fight and lose loved ones? Continue to have your family and friends change into werewolves too? Don't you want peace? The Cullens have helped prevented some problems with outside vampires before, from what I've heard. And what about the fight against Victoria and her clan? You all joined together and helped get rid of them, and every single one of you survived. You all made sure of that. Carlisle even helped Jacob to heal correctly and soundly. You might hate them, but think of all the good they've done for you. Stop dwelling on the bad and look at the good. Carlisle is one of the best doctor's in the area and the rest of them mind their own business," I continued.

"Yeah, well what about your little lover? They accepted him into their home. They're responsible for him!" someone called, but I didn't see who it was.

"Just shut up and listen, Jared," the woman from earlier snapped. I almost smiled now as I looked around. The tenseness of the atmosphere was dying and Jacob's side was looking triumphant. Jacob wasn't looking at me though. He was turned away from me and I could just see the hint of guilt on his face. I glanced at Adrian, but I couldn't really read his expression. I wasn't sure if it was good or bad, but I had no time to analyze.

"Damen.. did not want to kill Julia. He did what he did because it was either kill or be killed. He was sent here by the Volturi to come after me. He was turned after a fight we had almost a half a year ago. He only chose to be turned because it was either him, or they kill him and use my best friend. He's not the awful person you all imagine him to be. Yes, I know people can change after being turned, but he didn't. Do not tell me I'm wrong," I said quickly, silencing the protest I could hear starting. "I talked to him once I was in Volterra. How he kept his thoughts from Edward, I don't know. I never got a chance to ask and Edward never said," I said, my voice catching at the thoughts of Damen and I felt the tears well in my eyes.

"But even if you don't believe me and still think he's a heartless killer, believe me when I say the Cullens had nothing to do with this. They thought he was just another vampire looking for a different lifestyle, so Carlisle, being the kind man he is, took him into their home and treated him as family. They tried to help him with their lifestyle, not even aware of what his true intentions were. As for Alice and why she never saw him, well, she can't predict everything, can she? She has to be close to the person or close to the person that he would have effected. Since I did everything to keep myself away from them, she didn't even see anything to do with me until recently. You need to drop your issue with the Cullens and learn to live in harmony. If anything, as much as you all hate to hear it, the Cullens have been a victim through this. No, this is not me siding with them, but more stating a fact," I said, feeling an angry wave through the crowd.

"What's the worse that's happened to all of you through this? More people changed into werewolves. A girl died in an unusual circumstance that will end up being overlooked. Your secret is safe. No harm will come to you. Some of you have made a new friend with Tammy. Some of you have found love. You've all become closer and now, to just split like this, would be a waste. Over something that's being blown way out of proportion!" I exclaimed.

"Now, think about the Cullens. From the day I arrived it was my personal goal to make their lives hell. Just me being here was doing a good job of that. And I know you all know about that, because Jacob and I have had plenty of discussions about it. If I wasn't enough, then a new vampire shows up and almost makes them have to go into hiding. They go to Volterra after learning that they had a family member they never knew about and soon learned the truth about not only my mother's death, but as to why they made Edward leave my mother in the first place. Don't you think you could cut them some slack?" I asked, feeling my body shake a little. All these emotions were coursing through me and I almost felt like crying again, but I would not do that in front of them.

"That still does not answer for why Adrian and Jacob disobeyed me," Sam said, a challenge in his voice. I turned on him then, glaring. I shook my head slowly, a chuckle escaping my lips.

"Helping them? Sam, please tell me you're not that blind. Jacob didn't go for them. Neither did Adrian. Honestly, is it that hard to figure out? Jacob would never have helped them without needing a reason. He only came because of me and Adrian. He could probably care less about the Cullens, but his son just put himself into danger by going into a nest of vipers and you expected him to stay home and twiddle his thumbs? And I know that you know Adrian has imprinted on me. Tell me, Sam, what would you have done if Emily was in possible danger? Would you have stayed home and waited for her to come back?" I challenged, refusing to look away from him. I saw his features soften and almost sadden as he stared back.

"I still think they're a bunch of stupid bloodsuckers," one man mumbled out.

"Oh, honestly, shut up," the woman said again, and this time several people chuckled.

"I guess some things will never change," I said, with a small smile, looking around at everyone. The separation was gone now and the crowd slowly merged together, talking to each other.

"I never thought I would say this, but you're right, Amber. About everything. I'm glad you came out today. It would have been pretty foolish, but you can't expect us to drop our feelings so quickly," Sam said, a small frown on his face.

"Oh, I don't. Just remember this day before you go doing anything rash again, okay?" I asked, smiling up at him as Emily appeared next to him. He nodded and then turned to her.

"Tell Tammy to come out sometime tomorrow. We girls would love to see her again," Emily said, smiling to me.

"I will," I said, grinning before I turned away. I was glad Tammy had made friends with people down here. I hated thinking that she was in the house all day alone while I was at school. I looked around until I spotted Jacob a little way off, talking with a sad looking Adrian. I quickly made my way over there, wanting to let Jacob know what's happened. That, and I felt the need to talk to Adrian.

"Amber," Jacob said upon spotting me and pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back happily, acknowledging the fact that I still loved him like he was my father too. I'm sure Edward could learn to live with that, even if he didn't want to. Jacob was always going to be a big part of my life for several reason.

"How are you feeling?" Adrian asked as Jacob released me.

"Better, in ways," I said with a small chuckle. "Speeches like that definitely take a lot out of you."

"I'm surprised you stood up to a whole pack of werewolves," Jacob said with a grin. "I don't think any of them will be messing with you anytime soon."

"I'm surprised too, trust me. I got up this morning with the intention of possibly never talking again and staying away from everyone, and what do I do? Put myself in a social spotlight," I said, laughing softly. I saw the worried flash go through both their eyes, but I think they both knew now was not to the time to talk about it.

"Why were you down here today anyways? It couldn't have just been coincidence," Jacob asked, curiously.

"Well, I heard about it from the Cullens. Tammy told them she was going to take me over there when I got up, so I didn't have much of a choice," I said, shifting my weight a little, afraid of what his reaction was going to be. After all, he just stood up for me against the whole pack saying how much I hated them.

"And?" he asked, expectantly.

"And, let's just say I don't hate them anymore. I went on a car ride with Edward and I confronted him on everything, got the whole story. After he told me they were leaving I realized I didn't want him to leave, ever. I mean, I put him through all this shit, and in the end I got what I want, but I realized how stupid I was. I feel selfish, but I couldn't lose him too, after… everything," I said, trailing a little.

"You did the right thing, Amber," Jacob said, smiling down at me. "I still don't like the guy, but I'm glad you finally gave him a chance. I know Bells would have wanted that too," he finished, trailing a little. I smiled a little and reached out to squeeze his hand softly. His smile saddened as he returned my squeeze. "I'm going to go talk to Sam," he said and turned and left before I could say anything. I turned to Adrian then, who I noticed now seemed tense. I frowned a little, wondering why.

"Can we go for a walk?" he asked, and I couldn't help but notice how little and defeated he sounded. It tugged at my heart and the feeling of wanting to embrace him washed over me again.

"Of course," I said, offering him a small smile. He turned and led the way down the beach and I hurried to catch up to his side. He had his hands shoved into his pockets, and he didn't seem to want to get to close to me. After we had gone a ways away from everyone he stopped and sat down on a piece of driftwood. I followed suit, staring down at the sand. I felt terrible, knowing I was the reason for his misery. I had constantly rejected him yet he continued to stay by my side. I didn't know what it was like to imprint, but I was sure he was probably in a lot of pain right now.

"Amber. You know how I feel about you, and that I would love more than anything to be able to have you for the rest of my life, but I understand now that it was foolish of me to ever expect you to get over Damen so quickly. After everything that has happened I've come to see that it would be best for me to be just your friend. You've lost so much, and it hurts to see you in so much pain. He asked me to watch over you and keep you safe if anything were to ever happen to him. So, I've decided that I'm going to give you your space. I'm not going to pressure you, and I'm going to do everything I can to help you through this. You'll never have to worry about being alone again as long as I live. I love you too much to hurt you again like I now realize I did," he said, looking up at me sadly.

His words hit me to the core. I looked up into his hazel eyes, feeling my heartbeat increase. Here was this man who loved me unconditionally. He'd do anything for me. And I had been telling him go away. He had suddenly become such a big part of my life too that the thought of him leaving too hurt. I felt the tears well in my eyes, and the thought of me being with him suddenly made me feel complete. It was crazy to think of. Here I had been rejecting him over and over when I had what was probably the best thing I could ever ask for right in front of me. I had been a real jerk to people lately, and I hadn't realized just how much I had hurt him 'til now.

Without warning I launched myself at him, my lips finding his quickly. I felt him tense up in shock, his lips motionless. After a moment though I felt his arms wrap around me and pull me into his embrace as he stood, kissing me back firmly. I don't know what had come over me, but I knew he was what I needed right now. I needed to give him a chance for both of our sakes. What would it hurt? I knew nothing would ever separate us and right now I didn't need just a friend there to help me. I needed someone who would hold me through the night and kiss away my tears. Someone to help fix me and I couldn't think of anyone better to do that than Adrian. He pulled back slowly, and I opened my eyes to look up into his confused, yet happy ones.

"Amber?" he asked cautiously. I felt the tears well up again and a laugh escaped me. Wow, this had definitely been one hell of a day.

"Adrian, I'm such a fool. I hope you can forgive me. I never meant to hurt you and I never want you to leave me. I don't want you to stay away. I want you to be there always," I said, a happy bubble welling in my chest at the look of absolute happiness on his face.

"So.. you're giving me a chance?" he asked, almost too happy for words.

"More than a chance, you silly boy. I'm all yours," I said, laughing again, and met his lips again happily. I had learned over the past few days to cherish everything I loved and to always hold people close. When Adrian pulled away and grabbed onto my hand, I couldn't stop from smiling at the butterflies I felt. We started walking back to the group as I suddenly remembered Alice.

"Oh! I need to get back! Alice is waiting for me at the border and if I don't come back soon then they're going to think you all ate me alive or something," I said, dragging him towards the woods. I didn't just fix everything for it to get messed up again.

"Alright, let's go," he said, but I stopped causing him to look down at me inquisitively.

"Let me ride on your back! We'll move faster and it'll be fun. Besides, I'm tired from running out here," I said, smiling up at him. He only laughed and offered me his back. I hopped on quickly and once I was secured, he started off. We got back faster than I would have on foot, and I almost laughed when I saw Edward pacing back and forth along the border with an exasperated Alice.

"See, she's perfectly fine," Alice said as we emerged from the trees. Edward stopped his pacing, though I'm sure they had heard and smelled me a long time ago. I slid down from Adrian's back, my hand slipping comfortably into his as I came up next to him.

"What took you so long?" Edward asked, his topaz eyes glaring me down. "Do you have ANY idea how worried we were?" Alice rolled her eyes and walked up next to Edward.

"Edward thought the pack had you for supper. I argued that you wouldn't taste very good to them though," Alice said, a grin on her face.

"Shut up, Alice. Stay out of this," Edward snapped at her.

"Is your family always this psychotic?" Adrian said, leaning down to whisper into my ear.

"You don't know the half of it," I whispered back, a grin on my lips.

"Hey, I heard that!" Edward snapped again, turning from Alice.

"You should see us when we play baseball. You want to be on Emmett's team. Trust me," Alice said with her musical laugh.

"Alice, I'm trying to be serious," Edward said through a clenched jaw.

"Oh, come off it, Dad. I'm safe. There's not going to be war, and --" I started, but was quickly cut off.

"I told you she would fix it," Alice said with a beaming grin. Edward paused for a moment, finally looking like he was starting to relax.

"And what?" Edward said, ignoring Alice completely.

"And, I uh.. Well, I," I started, chuckling a little. How the hell would I tell him that he was going to have to deal with a werewolf being around a lot more?

"I'm dating your daughter.. Mr. Cullen. Though I'm sure you already knew that," Adrian said for me, hesitating a little on the last part. It suddenly seemed that both of our palms got a little sweaty, and I bit my bottom lip. Alice's eyes widened a little, but I was more concerned with Edward. He seemed tense again, though it wasn't really anger that I saw in his eyes. He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose, a sigh escaping his lips.

"There's not much I can do about it, is there?" he said, slightly exasperated as he dropped his hand. He narrowed his eyes as he turned to Adrian. "If I ever find out that you've hurt my little girl, I'll make the Volturi look like teddy bears. Do you understand me, pup?" Edward threatened, his voice venomous. Alice stood off to the side, a highly amused grin on her face.

"Dad, that is really not necessary," I said, feeling a little anxious. I felt Adrian's hand tighten a little in my own, and I glanced up at him.

"You have no need to worry, Mr. Cullen. Your daughter is in safe hands with me," Adrian said, but I swear saw a flash of self doubt run through his eyes. Edward's eyes narrowed for a moment, and I wondered what Adrian had been thinking about.

"Yes, well, just make sure to keep that temper of yours in check. We all know what happened the last time one you lost your temper with an imprint," Edward threatened. My brow furrowed for a moment before I realized they were talking about Emily. I squeezed Adrian's hand and placed a hand comfortingly on his arm. I trusted Adrian not to kill me in a sudden fit of rage, though I had no idea where this was all coming from. I had known him for such a short amount of time and already I was trusting him with my life. My life had been uprooted so fast though that I welcomed this change. It was another shred of security I could cling to.

"We should probably get back now before they send out a search party," Alice said, skipping over to Edward's side.

"Yeah, let's go. I haven't eaten since Volterra, and I'm starving," I said, walking forward. I could feel Adrian's hesitation behind me, but he followed after a brief shared between himself and Edward. Alice grinned happily as we crossed the border and linked her arm with mine.

"Wait until you try Esme's cooking. I've been told she's a really great cook," Alice said, excitedly. I smiled back at her as she launched into telling me little things about our family. It felt nice to finally be able to that. I have a family. After years and years of resentment, I came to love the people I thought I would forever hate. Who would have ever thought it would end up this way? They all loved me, and cared for me. I knew Tammy and I would be in good hands from now on. No more having to rough things out, or make money stretch. Maybe she'd even find herself a man here in Forks and finally settle down. I knew I had, though I wasn't planning on settling down just yet. I glanced up to see Adrian staring down at me. I could tell that Edward's comment had bothered him, and he was doubting himself now. I only smiled and pulled him down for a kiss, much to Edward and Alice's displeasure. They would get used to it soon enough. For once I felt complete, and I knew that Mom could finally rest in peace.

**--**

**Well, there it is. **

**I hope you all enjoyed it. **

**I'll admit this is the first story I have ever finished. **

**I may edit it and fix it up a little and then put it on Quizilla. Not sure yet. **

**But yeah, we've come to and end. At least it was a happy one. : )**

**It wasn't going to be when I first started it out. **

**So, thank you to all my patient fans, and don't hate me for taking forever! **


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